By Shannon Traphagen
With over 4,000 employees, workplace wellness at Seneca Resort and Casino isn’t just a New Year’s resolution, it’s a lifestyle—a lifestyle more corporations across the nation are taking seriously.
In 2015, Seneca Gaming Corporation was ranked 17th in the country as one of the healthiest employers. “The company puts tremendous value on its employees. This corporation is a 365 day a year, 24 hours a day business. That can create many health problems and stress,” says Phil Pantano, public relations consultant for Seneca Gaming Corporation.
A new partnership announced in January 2016 with Niagara Services Inc., an affiliate of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, will provide employees better access to health and wellness benefits. Niagara Services Inc. will staff the on-site health office at Seneca Resort and Casino.
“The comprehensive program will service all three of our properties. Just as Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center services our Niagara properties, Olean General Hospital staffs our Alleghany property. This program is modeled after national best practices,” states Pantano.
The on-site health office at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino is available to all employees, including those who work part time, as well as their spouses. Employees can utilize the office, which is staffed by a nurse practitioner and a licensed practical nurse, and there are no co-pays, regardless of medical plan enrollment.
Another added benefit to Seneca Gaming’s wellness program includes access to a health coach provided by Independent Health. The health coach can provide assistance with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular health and obesity, along with nutritional guidance, coordination of preventive care and medication for employees enrolled in Independent Health’s medical coverage. “No matter the condition or reason, all employees have access to our many healthy education programs throughout the year regardless of plan type,” says Pantano.
Educational programs available to employees include four to six weeks of heart health centered lunch and learns; blood pressure monitoring and heart health education; blood draws to measure cholesterol; stress management; smoking cessation, and health assessments. “We also hold a summer health and wellness fair every year to give employees a chance to meet different vendors in the health industry within our community,” says Pantano.
To help measure outcomes and employee participation, Seneca Gaming teams up with benefit carriers to collect and analyze data from screenings and program participation. “We’ve seen a steady decrease in health risk factors over the last three years. Partnering with benefit carriers allows us to identify if claims are going up in certain health risk areas. Seneca Gaming uses that to develop the following year’s health programs to target those specific needs,” Pantano states.
The company has been awarded the “Elite Wellness Lives Here” designation by the American Diabetes Association. “It’s a big company, but they have a family mentality where taking care of one another is important,” says Pantano.
WNY Reference
Seneca Gaming Corporation is hiring, for more information call 278.0011 or visit senecagamingcorporation.com for current openings. For information on work wellness benefits visit call 716.299.1100.
