Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi
1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union

1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union - Healthy Workplace

Company Profile

1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union has provided comprehensive financial services to the Meridian and Quitman areas for over 40 years. Their motto, “helping our members enjoy a better quality of life” is also true for their employees. Their employees live and work in Lauderdale and the Clarke county areas and are committed to supporting the surrounding communities.

Business Challenge

In May of 2010, 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union approached Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi with an interest in becoming a Healthy Workplace. They were seeing an increase in utilization of the Healthy You! benefit but they wanted and needed to do more. The CEO and CFO wanted to utilize Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi’s experience, knowledge and resources to help begin, implement, promote and succeed with worksite wellness. A challenge for this Group would be meeting their customer needs while supporting and encouraging healthier lifestyles within the workplace. This included availability for employees to attend presentations, exercise classes, health screenings or cooking demonstrations and taking time to exercise, while still being number one in service.

1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union - Healthy Workplace 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union - Healthy Workplace 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union - Healthy Workplace
The Solution

In June of 2010, the Group signed a Letter of Understanding with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi’s Health & Wellness Team to begin their Healthy Workplace experience. A workplace culture tour helped to determine simple steps in creating a healthier work environment for their employees. They added exercise equipment to an empty space, and management began sending recipes and wellness information to employees on a weekly basis.

The group then offered a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) and paired it with a health screening to capture height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and glucose. The assessment and health screenings were offered to all employees. Once data was compiled, they were able to see the top health needs and interests of employees, in aggregate form. Activities were designed based on the needs and interests of employees and promoted.

1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union is now in its sixth year as a Healthy Workplace, and each year since their first they have offered an HRA and worksite health screenings to obtain the top needs and interests of employees. Through these results and with assistance from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Health & Wellness Team, the company began to offer education in the form of presentations, handouts and one-to-one counseling sessions on healthy eating, exercising, stress management and being tobacco-free. Registered Dietitians also hosted an on-site cooking demonstration featuring healthy breakfast recipes. In 2015, 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union participated in a yearlong wellness focus called “A Year of Healthy Living,” which combined the focus on nutrition and exercise and the importance of utilizing both simultaneously.

The Results

The group has seen many overall successes with Healthy Workplace, including increased morale and engagement. Their goal was to provide a healthier environment for their employees, and they have been successful in keeping their employees engaged and supported since day one.

Another direct success for the Group was that one of their employees experienced personal success with her own health. Through exercising and eating healthy, she lost over 100 lbs within a year. She is the wellness champion and coordinator for 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union and continues to encourage all of her coworkers to adopt healthier lifestyles.

Progress Chart

Healthy You Chart

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