PHOENIX (Nov. 20, 2024) - Twelve Arizona employers, including the State of Arizona, have been recognized among the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America 2024. The awards program, which is led by Healthiest Employers, recognizes people-first organizations that prioritize the well-being of their employees.

Organizations are evaluated based on culture, programming and results and are judged by representatives from academic, medical, wellness and business communities.

The State of Arizona moved up in the rankings from 100th last year to 68th this year. Employee well-being and professional development have been a recent focus for the Arizona Department of Administration, which manages benefits, human resources, and wellness programming for all state employees.

In the past three years, the State of Arizona Leaders Connectprogram has offered mentorship, training and coaching to 134 public servants from 39 different agencies, boards and commissions. These groups had opportunities for education on change management, problem solving, work-life balance and more.

Additionally, since September 2023, the state has offered 12 weeks of paid parental leaveto families who have a new child through birth, adoption or foster placement. Nearly 1,500 employees have used the leave in the 14 months since the pilot began.

Elizabeth Alvarado-Thorson, director of the Arizona Department of Administration, said that the state's emphasis on wellness is driven by a core value of investing in people.

"The more than 35,000 people who work for the state of Arizona - more if you count our public university employees - have made a career of public service," she said. "They need a work culture that values them as people, not just workers. That's why ADOA works hard to bring proactive wellness, professional development and family-friendly resources to state employees. We are proud of the workplaces we've established and want our employees to thrive."

A foundational component in the state's success in implementing employee wellness is the Health Impact Program, which has more than 22,000 users across state government. The HIP platform allows state employees to participate in activities, challenges and screenings to earn points for healthful activities; progressive annual cash incentives are available up to $200.

The HIP portal encourages daily wellness engagement that is personalized for disease management, checkups and tips for people at different stages of life and career.

Amanda Accatino, Arizona's well-being and employee assistance manager for the Arizona Department of Administration, has overseen the program for more than nine years and said it helps the state continue to provide accessible, best-in-class benefits while managing costs and offering more individual health care decision-making.

"Arizona's resources offer creative ways to enable employees to do what's right for them and fit new habits into their lifestyles - in short, their health, their way. We provide engaging resources so they can easily choose what they need or try new activities in a low-risk way. It has been a resounding success, and I'm so thrilled to see what we've been able to do," Accatino said.

Accatino said HIP participants also report feeling more productive and energized for work. Across the board, Arizona and other states posted high scores in this year's competition.

"We saw some of the highest scores in program history this year," said Haley Potoczek, program manager at Springbuk, the creator of the Healthiest Employers program. "I believe this emphasizes the importance that employers play on employee health, engagement, and overall happiness. Wellness is about more than just physical activity. Employers must continue to evolve to create a positive work environment."

This isn't the first time Arizona has been recognized for a focus on employee health. In 2022, Arizona ranked 100 in America's Healthiest Employers. Earlier this year, the state of Arizona was named Phoenix Business Journal's Healthiest Employerin the extra large companies category.

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