G&A Partners Named No. 1 Healthiest Employer In San Antonio

The San Antonio Business Journal recently recognized G&A Partners’ achievements in wellness by naming G&A the No. 1 Healthiest Employer in San Antonio among companies with 100 to 499 employees. Read more about G&A’s award-winning corporate wellness program below, as well as the amazing impact the program has had on the life of one of G&A’s employees.

When a new wellness program came to G&A Partners, Susan Pyle, who works in the accounting department, was not very excited. She thought it would be all about the gym.

But she wanted some of the perks that came with participation, like assistance in paying for health insurance premiums, which her company offered for completion of certain challenges. So she decided to give the program a shot. After all, she did have some incentive.

“I’m a Type 2 Diabetic — and my blood sugar was out of control,” Pyle said. “At first I just wanted the benefits of the challenges, but I wasn’t fully committed.”

But that changed with her medical problem, she said, as she realized that many of the challenges were things that she should have been doing all along to be healthier.

G&A initiated its wellness program in 2011, and Director of Corporation HR Bonnie Scherry explained that theirs is a unique program that puts the emphasis on more than just health metrics. It’s a culture of caring.

The program teaches positive thinking and demonstrating it at work — extending a positive greeting to co-workers, or helping them when they’re not feeling up to par.

“It’s like saying to another person, ‘I’m sorry you’re feeling down today. Can I get you some water or help you in some way?’” Scherry said. “And we meet employees where they are.”

Meeting employees where they are means having flexibility in its program to suit individual needs. For Pyle, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that not every challenge forced her to exercise. She enjoyed the challenges that addressed stress in the workplace.

“Like how to relieve stress at your desk,” she said. “And to make sure you take time for yourself during the day. Get up and walk. Think good thoughts. Listen to music at home, read a good book and do things you enjoy during your time off.”

The company hired a wellness coach, whom staffers depend on for encouragement and support.

“She’ll talk you down if you eat a donut and get you back on track,” Scherry said.

Pyle reported she’s lost 80 pounds so far.

She’s eating healthy – bringing her lunches to work, being kinder to others, thinking good thoughts, and stretching at her desk. And she’s exercising more.

“Slowly but surely, my weight started dropping off – and a lot faster than I expected. In July I put a big halt to a lot of the bad things I was doing. I was eating too much sugar. I wasn’t exercising,” she said. “Now it’s strictly no carbs — just meat and vegetables and some fruit.”

Scherry said Susan Pyle’s is a true success story and underscores the impact that G&A’s program is having on its staffers, not just in terms of physical health, but emotional well-being too.

“She has more confidence and I think that’s so important,” Scherry said. “It’s really exciting for G&A to see that in our employees.”

This article was written by Eileen Pace for the San Antonio Business Journal. To view the original article, click here.