Healthiest Employers in the Greater Bay Area 2014 - Safeway #1

Article originally posted in San Francisco Business Times.

The San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley Business Journal selected 82 finalists for this year’s Healthiest Employers in the Greater Bay Area lists and associated event. Companies were categorized based on the size of their Bay Area workforce. In the Bay Area, these employers have 130,864 employees. Overall, they employ nearly 1.3 million people.

What are some of the perks these companies share? Fitbits, annual flu shots, biometric health screenings, in-house gyms or subsidized gym memberships, walking clubs, wellness newsletters, bike racks and showers, office yoga, chair massage and healthy snacks.

Plus, there were many personal success stories of people shedding extra pounds due to its employer — whether it was more than 100 or as little as 10.

Safeway Inc.
Rank: No. 1
Largest category (2,000+ employees)
Wellness program score: 90.4
Bay Area employees: 5,000
Top Bay Area executive: Robert Edwards, President and CEO

Shown above: Safeway Executive Vice President Larree Renda works out at the food and drug retailer's onsite fitness center. Renda has championed and led the company's culture of health.

Success story: From 2012 to 2013, the number of employees passing their Healthy Measures increased across each key health indicator. The largest percentage was seen in blood pressure screenings, with 60 percent more passing in 2013 than the year prior. Increases in those who passed screening in 2013 over 2012 were also seen in cholesterol (42%), blood sugar (43%) and BMI (18%).

Benefits: A web portal that provides resources and reinforcement to employees who have shared their personal successes as a result of making small lifestyle changes. From 2012 to 2013, the number of employees passing their Healthy Measures increased across all key health indicators.

Read the full article at San Francisco Business Times.

Learn more about Safeway employee health initiatives.