CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Volume 17 • Number 1 • Fall 2004

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Highsmith Inc.
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

Highsmith Inc. is proof that a small business can make a big difference in the cardiovascular health and wellbeing of its employees. Highsmith, a national distributor of school and library supplies and furnishings, is located in a small community west of Milwaukee. The company has 225 employees, three-fourths of them women.

Employees can make use of the company’s on-site walking trail and walking programs, free blood pressure screenings, exercise classes, weight management programs, healthy cooking classes, and healthy choices in vending machines. Highsmith also offers a monetary incentive approach for health insurance, which encourages employees to get recommended health screenings, participate in the company-wide health screening, and not use tobacco products.

“We provide employees and their families with the tools and resources they need to build a better relationship with their health care provider and assist them in making more informed decisions about their health and well-being,” said Laura Hanson, Manager of Learning and Development at Highsmith. “Approximately 80% of our employees are on the health insurance plan. Of that 80%, 83% receive the monetary incentive. We also have a low tobacco-using population.”

The annual health screening, held during the first week of May, is open to all employees and their spouses. “It takes employees and their spouses about 1 hour and 15 minutes to be screened, and it’s all done on company time and free of charge,” Ms. Hanson said.

The health screening takes place over the course of a week, starting at 5:45 A.M. each day and continuing into the evening. The early morning screenings are popular for people who are undergoing fasting cholesterol tests. “We want to accommodate employees on different shifts and their spouses,” she noted. The screenings begin with a measurement of height and weight, followed by CO2 and blood pressure readings, a full lipid panel, cholesterol and glucose test, and sub-maximum walking tests on a treadmill (to determine aerobic capacity).

“In 2003, Highsmith began using the Framingham Risk Score,” she said, “because we wanted to focus on cardiovascular disease and help our employees and their spouses better understand their risk for getting heart disease within the next 10 years.” New for 2004 is a coronary risk profile that focuses on heart disease and stroke as well as diabetes, nutrition, and exercise.

After the participants complete the initial tests, they visit three feedback stations:

• They meet one-on-one with a health educator from Highsmith’s health insurance provider to discuss the health screening results and Coronary Risk Profile. Health topics they cover include physical activity, nutrition, stress, social health, alcohol, drug and tobacco use, safety, self-care, and readiness to change. Health information and other resources are available to assist participants in making healthy lifestyle choices and enhancing their overall health.

• Next, the participants meet one-on-one with a counselor from Highsmith’s employee assistance program to discuss their emotional well-being. Participants also have an opportunity to talk about topics such as depression, parenting, stress, sleep disturbances, eating disorders, chemical dependency, gambling addiction, relationships, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and life balance.

• Last, employees meet with Ms. Hanson to learn more about the health resources and services available at Highsmith. This confidential session gives participants the chance to talk more in-depth about health topics of concern. If needed, additional one-on-one sessions may be scheduled.

When conducting the annual health screening, Highsmith and its partners make every effort to create a relaxed setting for employees. “We have banners and refreshments, and participants can register for a reduced-rate healthy cooking magazine subscription or cookbook. Overall, the environment and culture we’ve created at Highsmith make it comfortable for employees and their families.” (See related article.)

How Can a Small Company Do This?

Just because a company is small does not mean that it cannot offer highly effective wellness services with a limited budget. “We’re a smaller company, small enough so that it doesn’t make sense for us to have an on-site exercise facility,” Ms. Hanson noted. “But we do have a break-room area where we are able to hold exercise classes before and after first-shift hours. We offer step aerobics, body sculpting, and yoga. Employees pay $5 per semester to attend.”

Another low-cost wellness tool for small businesses is an intranet. “We have a company intranet site that is a great tool to provide information and educate employees,” she said. “There is a section titled E-health, which is designed to link employees to reliable health information. Topics range from blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight management to depression, relationships, and menopause. We screen this information and make sure it’s credible before it goes on our site.”

In addition, Highsmith sponsors wellness challenges, which help employees set and reach their fitness and nutritional goals. The winners of these challenges receive prizes, which do not have to be expensive.

Developing Human Capital, Seeing Return on Investment

Highsmith’s many efforts to safeguard its employees from heart disease and stroke are just part of a company initiative known as TAG, which stands for

• Total commitment to developing human potential.
• Access to learning opportunities.
• Growth as an individual and as a company.

This initiative reflects the company’s expanded view of wellness, which encompasses many different aspects of a person’s life. For example, TAG encourages employees to make healthy lifestyle choices and assists them in taking a more assertive and educated role in their own care. The initiative also helps employees maintain their emotional health, enrich their work and personal lives and balance the two, and develop their jobs and careers.

“It is important for employees to have the tools, knowledge, and resources to do their jobs,” Ms. Hanson stated. “It’s also important to recognize that if they’re struggling with high blood pressure or going through a divorce, it affects their productivity.” TAG’s goal is to help employees learn, grow, and develop. Their growth, in turn, helps them support the company goals.

“As a result of TAG, Highsmith has seen a return on its investment,” Ms. Hanson reported. The company uses three benchmarks to measure return on investment:

• Health insurance costs. Just 13 years ago, the company saw health insurance costs soar 53%. These costs have stabilized in recent years, increasing 2.9% in 2002, and 3.1% in 2003—far less than at most other companies.

• Turnover rate and average length of service. The turnover rate is low, at 7%–9%. The average length of service is now 12 years. It had been 14 years, but the company recently offered early retirement, and that affected the length of service.

• Workers’ compensation costs. These costs have declined in recent years. “We’ve integrated stretching sessions within our warehouses and office, and this, in addition to other safety efforts, has made a significant impact on our workers’ compensation claims,” Ms. Hanson explained. The stretching is done on company time, and the program is geared toward each employee’s specific tasks.

“The TAG is a strategic initiative, and the desired outcome is to have the human capital necessary to meet our company goals and objectives,” noted Ms. Hanson.

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This page last reviewed August 30, 2004

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