Recently Auto/Mate signed up to participate in a new nutrition program offered by BlueShield of Northeastern New York (NENY). The HealthyLife Rewards program offers subscribers and their families up to $50 per month or $500 in annual cash back rewards for purchasing healthy foods at grocery stores.

 

The program is a great fit for Auto/Mate’s culture, which promotes the importance of health and wellness to its employees.

 

“There are many studies that show healthy employees are generally happier and more productive,” said Carole Plant, CFO of Auto/Mate. “If you take care of your employees, your employees take better care of your customers, and in turn your customers take care of your bottom line.”

 

The HealthyLife Rewards program is a promising initiative that encourages healthy eating. The program is simple: members swipe their cards at the grocery store checkout line, and food items in their cart are scored based on their nutritional value. An average score for each shopping trip is calculated and at any time, individuals can redeem points for cash.

 

The NutriSavings mobile app makes it easy for members to identify nutritious foods, select healthier alternatives, access healthy recipes and manage shopping lists.

 

Auto/Mate’s participation in the nutrition program is the latest addition to a comprehensive corporate wellness program for employees that includes:

• Standing desks
• On-site gym (Body/Shop)
• Healthy cook-off competitions
• Voluntary biometrics screenings
• Health-related seminars and workshops on topics like reducing stress, how to get a better night’s sleep and smoking cessation
• Fitness promotions such as walking competitions and a soccer team, and community fitness events like the Tour de Cure and 5K races

“The key to making a wellness program successful is to make it fun,” said Plant. “Having fun, smiling and socializing all help to boost the immune system, which is an added bonus to the benefits that come with eating well and exercising.”

 

BlueShield of NENY’s new HealthyLife Rewards program also helps to keep insurance costs down for Auto/Mate. “As people take responsibility for their health, we see fewer claims,” said Plant. “We love seeing the change in the people, but as far as the impact on the books (profit and loss), our claims go down so our rates are more stable.”

 

Auto/Mate’s participation in the BlueShield of NENY’s program was featured in a recent article in the Albany Business Review.