(WNY News Now) – Jamestown, N.Y. – The American Heart Association (AHA), a global force for healthier lives for all, has awarded the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities (BPU) national gold-level recognition for its commitments to employee health and well-being as measured in the Association’s 2023 Workforce Well-being
Scorecard™.
The Scorecard brings together the latest research and insights from industry experts to help
business leaders build a science-backed, employee-centric culture of health and well-being. The
tool allows employers to evaluate how their policies and procedures compare to leading best
practices in areas such as mental health support, addressing burnout, financial well-being,
health equity considerations and more. Companies that complete the Scorecard receive a
recognition level based on their alignment with established guidance, along with actionable
strategies to support improvement and a dashboard to benchmark their progress against peer
organizations.
In 2023, 492 organizations completed the Scorecard; 8% were recognized with an achievement
level of platinum, 42% gold, 33% silver, 12% bronze, and 5% completer.
The AHA awarded gold-level recognition to the BPU in 2022 and silver-level recognition in 2021.
The BPU’s program includes such aspects as biometric screening, lunch and learns on various
topics of physical, mental and financial well-being, wellness corners and flu clinics. Central to
the program is the earning of “wellness points” awarded for preventative medical appointments,
exercise, vaccinations and wellness challenge participation. The BPU maintains a twenty-four
hour, seven-day-a-week employee gym.
The utility’s program also was named first in its company size regionally through Business
First’s Western New York Healthiest Employers competitions from 2019 to 2023. The BPU
program placed in the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America sponsored by Springbuk from
2021 – 2023. This competition also is based on a national, non-biased group of representatives
from academic, medical and wellness companies.
“At the Jamestown BPU, the safety and health of our employees comes first. The American
Heart Association’s Workforce Well-being Scorecard helps us to stay on top of the latest
advancements in workforce health and well-being, so we can create the best environment
possible for our employees and their family members,” said BPU General Manager David L.
Leathers. “We are dedicated to building a culture that helps everyone thrive, both in and out of
the workplace.”
“Championing a healthy mind, heart and body for employees is good for their health and good
for our work force,” added BPU Human Resources Director Tammy Anderson. “Healthy
employees are generally more productive and sick less often. Organizations who create a
culture of health and wellness in the workplace can improve employee retention and
organizational reputation.”
Trenton Lutes, BPU Health and Wellness Team Leader, continued, “It’s an honor to be
recognized by the American Heart Association again this year. I feel that this award was earned
not only through the hard work of our wellness team, but also by the dedication of our
employees to the wellness program. So, a big congratulations to all on this achievement.”
Lutes leads a group of employees that meets regularly to discuss and develop BPU Health and
Wellness annual plans. The team represents various BPU departments and includes: Martha
Abers, Brad Albright, Jarrett Devereaux, Todd Hoaglund, Cynthia McFadden, Gloria Miranda,
Shannon Pattyson, Becky Robbins and Kristen Vanstrom. Human Resources Director
Anderson is a resource to the team, providing guidance regarding regulations and related
human resource topics.
The Workforce Well-being Scorecard is a free resource offered by the American Heart
Association’s Well-being Works Better platform, which helps business leaders unleash the
power of a healthy, happy workforce. Distinct from traditional wellness programs, Well-being
Works Better empowers employers to champion the mental and physical health and well-being
of their employees and provides actionable guidance to meet their organization’s unique needs.
Participating employers also have the opportunity to be nationally recognized by the American
Heart Association.
To learn more and view a full list of recognized organizations, visit heart.org/workforce.
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