Employee health and wellness is something we take very seriously at Cadet. Our wellness journey started simply. In 2009 we began by sending weekly emails on a variety of topics to give our people information to make better decisions about their health. From there we added an annual health fair, brown bag luncheons, paying entrance fees for local races, the Move It to Lose It program that recognizes individuals for achieving monthly fitness and weight loss goals and an annual reimbursement program for employees’ fitness expenses. In just four years, the program has taken on a life of its own. Employees are joining together for healthy activities outside of work such as yoga classes and deep sea fishing. Employees bring in pictures of our activities that are posted on bulletin boards and shared at monthly employee meetings. We bring in a massage therapist a few times per year. I mean seriously, who couldn't use a massage at work?! We make a point to share our successes and inspire each other to get healthier.
A great example of this is Javier Aguilar, Maintenance Worker, runner and father of 5, who encourages his kids to run regularly and get fit even at a young age. Javier’s passion for running moved him to organize a team of Cadet Employees for Hood to Coast, a 199 mile team relay race from Oregon’s Mt Hood to the Pacific Ocean. When Javier presented to the Executive Team the benefits of Cadet participating in this local race, they didn't hesitate to pay for the entrance fee. Our application was submitted and Cadet was accepted! 2014 will be the first time an official Cadet Team will participate in this event, all because of the passion from one employee. Building this culture of health and wellness has led to Cadet being awarded the first ever Healthiest Company in Southwest Washington by the Vancouver Business Journal (VBJ) which was announced in the Friday November 1, 2013 issue. We are so proud of our employees here at Cadet who have embraced this program and are living a healthy lifestyle. It will be an exciting challenge for us to continue to focus on health and looking for new opportunities to improve the company and individual health here at Cadet. Look for future updates on Cadet Wellness programs. Move it to Lose it and Enjoy Health
