CORPORATE WELLNESS – Working Well at Quintiles

EMPLOYER PROFILE

Working Well at Quintiles

Quintiles is a leading provider of clinical research, commercial solutions, consulting, and capital to biopharmaceutical customers around the world. Headquartered in Durham, the company employs 1,700 workers in the Triangle, 6,500 in the U.S. and 22,000 worldwide. In 2006, Dennis Gillings, chairman and CEO, asked Oren Cohen, M.D., chief medical officer, to pursue CEO Gold Standard Accreditation. This accreditation certifies a company has robust benefits and programs in place that positively impact employee wellness and cancer prevention in the workplace. In doing so, Quintiles addressed tobacco use, physical activity, nutrition, health screening, and access to clinical trials and quality medical care. From these efforts, the “Healthy U Healthy Q” employee wellness program was born.

Wellness manager Ann Skye, RN, MPH, attributes the program’s high employee engagement and sustainability to executive support and the professional expertise of the Healthy U Healthy Q staff. Employees learn about the wellness program during new-hire orientation, through intranet updates and by word of mouth. They can elect to participate in reimbursement programs, customize a personal wellness website, select healthy food options in the on-site cafeterias, join in community walks and races, and take advantage of on-site health screenings, flu shots, fitness centers, medical clinics, and health-related classes. Most importantly, employees benefit from the culture of wellness that reverberates throughout the workplace.

“The biggest challenge,” says Ann, “is getting the attention of non-participating employees and fueling their motivation to take actions that will lead to increased well-being and prevention of illness. Our employees are busy, dedicated, and passionate about making a difference in healthcare, but they don’t always take the time to help themselves, sometimes waiting until they are faced with a health concern. The irony doesn’t escape us!“

Quintiles Program Highlights

Physical activity reimbursement program for gyms, fitness/aquatic centers, yoga/Pilates, personal training, home exercise equipment, massage therapy, sports leagues, outdoor adult bicycles, martial arts, dance, races, and more
Weight Watchers 35% subsidy (at-work, monthly pass, or online)
Tobacco-free workplace with tobacco-cessation counseling and nicotine-replacement therapy at no cost
Online workshops and plans for exercise, nutrition, and stress
Wellness information, resources, and logging tools
Recipes and Healthy meeting planning guide
Inspiring stories written by and about Quintiles employees
Health risk assessment (HRA) and personalized health report
No-cost preventive services and cancer screening
Telephonic health coaching
Wellness challenges and contests
On-site health screenings (height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose)
On-site flu shots and wellness expo
On-site fitness center, health center, exercise classes, seminars/webinars, blood drives and chair massage
Balanced choice options in on-site cafeterias and vending machines