Primary Data on Local Worksite Wellness to be Presented May 18 at Meeting of the Hawaii Health at Work Alliance

– Survey results will include wellness’ clear impact on business performance –

Honolulu, HI (May 10, 2017) – The Hawai‘i Health at Work Alliance, with over 375 participating Hawai‘i employers, will present primary research data from a just-completed survey at its general meeting on Thursday, May 18. Entitled “The State of Worksite Wellness,” the meeting is set for the Pomaika‘i Ballrooms at Dole Cannery from 7:30 to 10 a.m.

Among the survey findings, 38 percent of local companies that responded offer wellness programs to their employees. Other research data to be presented will reveal how business leaders believe that wellness offerings impact measures such as employee productivity, satisfaction and retention, and what factors drive a successful workplace-wellness program.

Wanda Kakugawa, president and owner of Market Trends Pacific, will give the presentation of new workplace-wellness data. She will be joined by UHA Medical Director and Hawaii Public Radio host, Dr. Kathy Kozak, who will facilitate the discussion. The meeting’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Bradley T. Klontz, Psy.D., CFP®, founder of the Financial Psychology Institute™ and co-author or co-editor of five books on the psychology of money. Local entertainer Maila Gibson will serve as emcee.

General admission tickets are $60 each. Hawai‘i Health at Work Alliance business or charter members each receive two free tickets.

Primary Research to be Presented
In early February of this year, the Hawai‘i Health at Work Alliance partnered with research company Market Trends Pacific to survey local companies about workplace wellness. While data from wellness surveys exists on a national level, this is the first significant research survey of local organizations on wellness programs and their impact on companies’ financial performance.

In total, 509 local companies responded to the survey. Market Trends Pacific focused exclusively on Hawai‘i businesses representing a wide range of sizes, industries and locations across the state.

The Market Trends’ survey collected data on a wide array of workplace wellness issues including:

• Impact of workplace wellness programs on business performance measures like employee satisfaction, productivity and company revenues
• Current workplace wellness behavior and usage of workplace wellness programs
• Motivators for developing and implementing wellness programs
• Effectiveness of workplace wellness programs

“Because of Hawai‘i’s uniqueness, local research is a critical supplement to existing national research on workplace wellness,” explains Howard Lee, chairman of the board of the Hawai‘i Health at Work Alliance and president and CEO of UHA Health Insurance. “This primary data can help local organizations determine what wellness programs are working here in our community and how they positively impact business performance.”

For more information or to purchase tickets for the May 18 general meeting, please visit hhawa.com/events or contact the Hawai‘i Health at Work Alliance at workwell@hhawa.com or 532-2156.

About Hawai‘i Health at Work Alliance
In mid-2013, UHA started the Hawai‘i Health at Work Alliance, a first-of-its-kind organization and grass-roots movement of businesses of all sizes that are dedicated to workplace wellness. The collaborative partnership seeks to create and improve employee well-being, viewed as a critical component of company success. In three years, it has grown to over 375 organizations statewide that are committed to learning how to build effective worksite wellness programs and methods that lead to sustainable lifestyle changes for employees. The organization provides a framework where organizations across a wide range of industries can learn from each other’s efforts to institute effective wellness programs that will engage their employees.

About UHA Health Insurance (University Health Alliance)
UHA was founded as University Health Alliance in 1996 by a group of physician faculty at University of Hawai‘i John A. Burns School of Medicine. UHA provides medical, drug and vision plans to more than 4,700 Hawai‘i employer groups and over 56,000 members. As the only health plan in Hawai‘i founded by physicians, it was the first to offer preventive and wellness care focused health plans in the state, and now offers the largest physician and provider network in Hawai‘i. By meeting strict quality standards to ensure clinically sound decision-making that respects the rights of patients and medical providers, UHA received accreditation in Health Utilization Management through URAC, the independent non-profit that promotes healthcare quality.

For information, visit uhahealth.com or follow @uhahealth on Twitter.

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