EWEB Recognized as One of the Healthiest Employers in the State and Nation
Eugene Water & Electric Board has been recognized as the third healthiest medium-sized employer in Oregon, and one of the healthiest 100 workplaces in America.
Each year, Portland Business Journal awards a handful of Oregon organizations for their efforts and contribution to employee health and well-being. EWEB submitted our first-ever application this year as a way to assess how the utility's wellness and safety programs and results stand up to other regional employers. We're happy to report that EWEB was ranked third in our size category (99 to 499 employees).
Combining health, safety and wellness positively impacts EWEB's ability to serve the community by streamlining occupational safety, reducing time loss and enhancing employee productivity. This holistic approach takes into consideration the whole person, providing employees tools for work, home and community.
EWEB's wellness program features a subsidy for gym memberships, health risk appraisals, on-site physical therapy, and lifestyle programs focused on diabetes, weight loss, stress management, nutrition, and more.
"Our commitment to health and wellness not only benefits our workforce, it also helps us better serve the community in many ways," said Human Resources Manager Lena Kostopulos. "EWEB's safety, wellness and health plans are designed to work together to achieve better health for employees, enhance job satisfaction and engagement, and increase our financial stability so we can reinvest those dollars back into our community."
Measurable results include lower worker's compensation costs, reductions in illness and absenteeism, and better management of health insurance expenses, which directly impacts our budget and prices for power and water.
2019 will mark the fourth time in the past five years with no residential electric price increase for EWEB customers, and the third year in a row with no jump in residential water prices. In 2018, commissioners reduced residential water prices by 4.5 percent.
EWEB was among dozens of great Oregon employers, both public and private, to put their wellness programs out there for consideration among other similarly-sized employers. The impressive list of contenders in all size categories included City of Eugene, Pacific Source Health Plans, Moda, SAIF, Nautilus, Multnomah County, Port of Portland, Salem Transit, Lithia, Daimler Truck, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, PeaceHealth, Fred Meyer and a host of others. Our friends at Lane County placed third in their size category as well.
High placement at the state level made EWEB eligible for the national Healthiest Employer competition, where we were recognized in the top half of America's 100 Healthiest Workplaces. More than 1,000 organizations across the country were evaluated for the award, which measures employee participation, health outcomes, leadership commitment and more. EWEB ranked 47th and was one of only 11 employers in the Pacific Northwest to earn the designation.
