With the future of health care reform still very much in doubt, the San Antonio business community is leaving the politicians behind and crating their own internal wellness programs, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce President Richard Perez says San Antonio's reputation as one of the most obese cities in the USA is bad for business...and nothing improves productivity and employee morale than having a healthy work force.
"The idea is a healthy employee is more capable of cranking out the work, it makes them feel better, and hopefully it will translate into a healthier family."
Perez says the Chamber is challenging all public and private employers in the city to participate in the workplace wellness programs. He says with Congress still unable to come up with a health care plan, it is time for companies to take matters into their own hands, and pointed out that workplace wellness programs frequently translate into significant savings in employer health care costs.
He says the Chamber has instituted a wellness program for its employees.
"What we did here at the chamber, is we bought FitBits for everyone," he said. "Everybody is very carefully counting their steps, and we are putting in goals, weekly goals."
The Workplace Wellness Initiative is co sponsored by the American Heart Association, which has a Workplace Health Solutions platform which local employers are being encouraged to use.