Photo / Renee Cordes
Michael Bourque of MEMIC
June 4, 2025
How To
Tips on keeping employees healthy, safe and productive from the Mainebiz Health Care Forum
Photo / Soubanh Phanthay
From left, Kim Anania, Michael Bourque, Colleen Kavanagh, Jen Hughes, Jayne Van Bramer and Kathryn Caiazzo at the Mainebiz Health Care Forum in Freeport.
Ensuring employees' health and safety not only keeps them more engaged, but also boosts productivity and improves the bottom line.
That was one of the central themes of the Mainebiz Health Care Forum in Freeport on Wednesday. More than 100 people attended the discussion about workplace well-being moderated by Kim Anania, president and CEO of KMA Human Resources Consulting.
Anania said mental health shapes how individuals handle stress, relate to others and make choices. She also cited statistics showing Maine's “youth mental health crisis” and the prevalence of stress among employees.
Panelists included Michael Bourque, president and CEO of MEMIC; Colleen Kavanagh, president and CEO of SoulBeing and a Mainebiz 40 Under 40 honoree in 2024: Jen Hughes, director of people and culture at Systems Engineering, an employee-owned firm; Jayne Van Bramer, president and CEO of Sweetser; and Kathryn Caiazzo, regional vice president of sales for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine who spent 10 years as a registered nurse.
Actionable steps
From reducing injuries to ensuring impactful and inclusive mental wellness strategies, panelists offered several practical tips for employers. They include the following:
- Listen to employees and lean on partners (Michael Bourque and Colleen Kavanagh)
- "Combine your data with dialogue" (Jen Hughes)
- “Educate your staff on the prevalence of mental health disorders” to make it safe for employees to reach out and seek help (Jayne Van Bramer)
- “Be that safe place and promote a workplace of safety” (Kathryn Caiazzo)
- “Invest in your HR function” (Michael Bourque)
Laying out the business case for workplace health and safety, Bourque said, “We believe that engaged employees are less likely to be hurt, and that helps you financially.”
He also noted that if employers fail on that front and employees they’ve hired and trained end up leaving as a result, “that’s a real cost to your business.”
Financial well-being is also part of the equation, since employees are not going to be healthy if they're worried about paying the rent, Van Bramer underscored.
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