Making Wellness the Easy Option

An Emphasis on Personal Well Being

You find similar efforts to encourage employees to see dining choices as a key part of a healthier and more rewarding lifestyle at Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Los Angeles. Tere, tying the employee wellness program into the bigger picture (pun intended) has been a critical part of its success.

“For years, Sony Pictures has provided employees and their families with access to health and wellness programs and services,” says Lucienne Hassler, senior vice president of administrative services. The key, she says, is "to empower them to make informed decisions that help them reach personal wellness goals.”

Recently SPE rolled out a new umbrella concept for these services named KENKO (It’s a Japanese term that essentially means holistic health and wellbeing.) KENKO grew out of SPE's efforts to coordinate the variety of wellness services it has provided for years, according to Hassler.

These include gym facilities in its Athletic Club, fitness classes, sports leagues, nutrition counseling available through SPE’s Health and Medical Services department, various health screenings, and, of course, an ongoing commitment to providing nutritious food and snack options during work hours, she says.

One benefit of this umbrella approach has been an enhanced ability to create cross-promotions, primarily between the Athletic Club and foodservices, to drive usage in both directions. For example, members of the Athletic Club can earn vouchers for the salad bar or a daily healthy meal special by hitting gym attendance goals. During March’s National Nutrition month, employees who purchased the healthy special or salad bar were entered into a weekly raffle for a $50 gift certificate at the Athletic Club.

“Ultimately health and wellness starts with the individual,” says Hassler. “But SPE—via KENKO—supports our employees by providing tools, resources and programs to help our employees flourish andsucceed at their highest potential.”