The University of Louisville received a finalist award for the large group category (5,000-plus employees) in the 2018 Business First Healthiest Employers of Greater Louisville competition.
UofL scored 67.09 out of a possible 100 on the health employer index (HEI), which is 10 points higher than the national average (58.7) and higher than the Louisville average as well. The average index for a Louisville company this year was 60.4 – up 17 points from last year.
“It is great to see how we stack up against so many other business and organizations, locally and nationally, and to know UofL is well-positioned as a leader,” said Patricia Benson, AVP of Health, Wellness and Disease Management.
Benson said the UofL team will review the six key metrics of the HEI index to consider how to improve the employee wellness program, as well as how to best serve the entire campus community.
“That is one of the positives that come from events and competitions like Healthiest Employer. It gives us an understanding of how we are doing in comparison to the industry as a whole and where to make changes,” she said.
UofL has participated in the Business First Healthiest Employer competition since inception, securing the title as Healthiest Employer in the inaugural event in 2010. This year’s large group category competition included companies such as Yum! Brands, Humana, Norton Healthcare, GE Appliances and more.
Benson said since 2010, more companies — both locally and nationally — have implemented worksite wellness programs, reaping positive rewards.
“UofL has a great story to share in that regard – both in terms of return on investment and value on investment,” she said. “We will continue looking for ways to expand our comprehensive health and wellness offerings with the heart of every employee in the forefront of our mind.”
Methodology
The Healthy Employer Index (HEI) is based on an analysis of the company’s wellness program in six key metrics:
- Culture/leadership commitment;
- Foundational components;
- Strategic planning;
- Communications/marketing;
- Programming/interventions; and
- Reporting/analysis.
The scores were calculated by Healthiest Employers, an Indianapolis-based research firm. The scores are calculated using an online survey completed by participating employers. Each employer is ranked with their individual Healthiest Employer Index (HEI). The survey consists of 75 scored questions.
