The Resource Center again named one of region’s Healthiest Employers

The Resource Center has reaffirmed its standing as one of the region’s healthiest employers.

The Resource Center recently was named the healthiest employer in Western New York among extra-large businesses (those employing more than 875 people) in Buffalo Business First magazine’s annual competition.  This marked the fifth time in six years The Resource Center has claimed the title in its division.  TRC also won in 2020, 2018, 2017, and 2016, and the agency was a finalist in the two years (2019 and 2015) it didn’t come in first place.

The honor was announced during a celebration on Buffalo sponsored by Independent Health, Wegmans, Springbuk, and Walsh Duffield.  A total of 25 finalists vied for the top spots in four categories: small (businesses with 10 to 100 employees); medium (101-374 employees); large (375-875 employees); and extra large.

The key to The Resource Center’s lofty status is its STARS employee wellness program.  In place since 2013, the program provides a variety of wellness options for TRC employees.  The fact TRC operates its own wellness program separates the organization from those area companies that use external vendors to operate their corporate wellness programs.

TRC also scores highly by virtue of collaborating with other organizations locally and regionally.  These include Chautauqua Health Network, Hope Chautauqua Bright Spots, Live Well Western New York, Population Health Collaborative, Prevention Works, Roswell Park, Tobacco-Free Chautauqua Cattaraugus Allegany.  In addition, TRC hosts several American Red Cross blood drives each year.

Members of The Resource Center’s STARS wellness program (from left, Jon DeSantis, Wellness Coach; Donna Trusso, Program Manager; and Heather Courtney, Wellness Coach) pose with the trophy they received when TRC was named the healthiest employer in Western New York among extra-large businesses.

The Resource Center’s STARS wellness program features a personalized wellness plan based on a person’s self-reported satisfaction level along five life domains.  STARS offers lunch-and-learn education and exercise get-togethers, discounts on health insurance premiums and weight-loss programs, and employees can participate in several group and individual challenges throughout the year.  Through participation in those challenges and other activities, STARS enrollees earn incentive points that can be redeemed for prizes.  Though only employees who participate in TRC’s health plan are eligible to enroll in STARS, The Resource Center allows all employees to undergo health coaching with Courtney and DeSantis.

STARS participants annually undergo a biometric blood analysis.  While individual results are confidential and shared only with the employee, the STARS team receives a report summarizing the combined results of everyone who undergoes the testing.  Those data enable the STARS team to assess how well STARS enrollees are performing as a group, and the results help form the program’s goals for the coming year.

Having again been named one of Western New York’s Healthiest Employers, The Resource Center is automatically entered into the national Healthiest Employers competition.  Last year TRC was ranked the 55^th healthiest workplace in America.

“We are so proud of our wellness team and all TRC team members overall as we continue on this journey to wellness,” said Heather C. Brown, assistant executive director, who oversees all of TRC’s health services.