KCU was recently named as one of Kansas City’s 2021 Healthiest Employers honorees by the Kansas City Business Journal. As an honoree, KCU is recognized for prioritizing employees' well-being in a year when health took center stage. The Business Journal works with Healthiest Employers LLC, a data and research company, to assess companies on their wellness program's culture and leadership commitment, foundational components, strategic planning, communication and marketing, programming and interventions, and reporting and analysis.
“As a health sciences university, KCU places great value on the health and well-being of all members of our communities and works to instill a philosophy that emphasizes holistic care of the mind, body and spirit alike,” said Marc B. Hahn, DO, president and CEO of KCU. “I am pleased that KCU provides our employees with a generous program in support of this tenet, and I am extremely proud of their strong participation in our university’s offerings in continued pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and improved well-being.”
In addition, KCU was recently selected as a recipient of two regional well-being awards.
- Healthy KC Platinum: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce awarded KCU the Platinum Level Healthy KC Certificate – the highest level awarded. The certificate is awarded to organizations that have made wellness a priority; and
- Cigna’s 2020 Well-Being Award: KCU was recognized for demonstrating a strong
commitment to improving the health and well-being of its employees through the KCyou Well-Being Cigna Well-Being Award applicants are evaluated based on the core components of their wellness program, including leadership engagement, company culture, strategy and goals, implementation, and employee engagement. All applications are scored and reviewed by a panel of Cigna health promotion experts.
The common thread in winning these awards is rooted in KCU’s commitment to employee health through the KCyou Well-Being program, which offers a benefits premium discount for completing preventive exams and biometric screenings, weekly and monthly well-being contests and prizes, mental health resources focused on supporting employees who work remotely during the pandemic, complimentary dietician consultations, virtual workout classes, a personal training program, healthy cooking demonstrations, a flu vaccine clinic and more.
“As soon as the pandemic reached Kansas City and KCU transitioned to working remotely, we knew this would be a challenging period of adjustment for our employees,” said Julie Deane, director of human resources. “Despite this disruption, we were intent on keeping employees engaged, connected and served with alternative well-being options. Immediately upon our move to remote work KCU established a variety of well-being engagement strategies and pivoted to offering relevant programming virtually."
"It's been a difficult year but I am incredibly proud of how our employees met the moment and remained dedicated to our mission of improving the well-being of the communities we serve,” Deane added. “Despite the ongoing pandemic, we continue to focus on providing alternative health and wellness options and resources so employees and their families can stay physically and mentally healthy.”
