BIS Benefits Named Healthiest Employer in Atlanta

ATLANTA – February 19, 2016 – Sometimes it is the simplicity of a small change in habit that can result in a healthier lifestyle.

That is what wellness specialist and accounts manager Marla Mohr found when she issued a water-drinking challenge in 2015 to employees of Alpharetta-based BIS Benefits, Inc., winner of the Small Employers category in Atlanta’s Healthiest Employers Awards awarded by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

We encourage all the employees to get up and stretch, drink water, and eat healthy as well as walk around the building at least once a day. The company provides healthy snacks including fresh fruit and water. The company encourages flu shots, dental and vision exams, yearly medical exams, eating healthy and learning more about how to stay healthy.

Not only do all these challenges and changes get us healthy, but it is good for morale as we work together to achieve healthy goals.

Making a wellness program fun and creative is a necessity as is offering incentives. “Even if it is something small such as a $5 gift card, you need it to get attention. You can have your employees donate a dollar a week to participate in a challenge and whoever wins that challenge, wins all the contributed money.”

The wellness program has had an impact. “You will hear discussions in our office about how much better our employees feel and we have had less absenteeism and sickness as well.” Mohr said.

BIS client service specialist Mary West said the program has given her motivation and structure to achieve her goals of good health and an active lifestyle. “Our quarterly wellness challenges provide opportunities to develop a healthy lifestyle in a fun, encouraging way. Also, because we are involved in the program year round, the changes I have made have become a part of my daily life without even a second thought.”

Ray Bachman, BIS founder and President said, “We try to establish healthy living among our clients as well. As the old saying goes, ‘you must import to export’. How are we supposed to promote wellness to our clients if we don’t challenge ourselves to do the same?”