Photo / James McCarthy
Kevin Lewis, CEO of Lewiston-based Community Health Options.
April 1, 2019
Two Maine employers recognized as 'psychologically healthy' workplaces
Photo / Tim Greenway
Carolyn Nishon, executive director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra since 2015, at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland. The PSO, along with the Lewiston nonprofit health insurer Community Health Options, are among eight winners of an annual award recognizing employers who implement workplace practices, backed by psychological science, that advance employee health and well-being while increasing performance and productivity.
By Staff
Of the eight organizations across the United States and Canada named winners of the American Psychological Association’s 2019 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards, two of them are in Maine.
Community Health Options in Lewiston and Portland Symphony Orchestra are among this year’s winners of the annual award recognizing employers who implement workplace practices, backed by psychological science, that advance employee health and well-being while increasing performance and productivity.
The eight organizations receiving the 2019 awards outperformed the national average in a variety of organizational outcomes. Combined, they reported an average turnover rate of just 17% for 2018 compared to the national average of 44% as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Additionally, surveys completed by the winning organizations show that only 7% of employees report feeling more cynical and negative at work compared with 22% nationally. More than 80% of employees said they would recommend their organization as a good place to work (82%), that the organization regularly communicates with employees (83%), and that the organization values training and development (83%).
“In a competitive business climate, many executives are thinking about workforce sustainability and how they can keep employees performing at their best,” said David W. Ballard, head of APA's Office of Applied Psychology, which manages the Psychologically Healthy Workplace program. “Beyond simply equipping workers to weather the challenges of modern work life, forward-thinking leaders understand that they also need to take comprehensive steps to address the work environment. By cultivating a psychologically healthy workplace, our winners show that doing the right thing for workers can go hand in hand with business success.”
Here are this year's winners
The 2019 award winners are: Autosoft in West Middlesex, Pa.; Beach Cities Health District in Redondo Beach, Calif.; Bowers + Kubota in Waipahu, Hawai'i; Community Health Options in Lewiston, Maine; Liberty Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Mascoma Bank in White River Junction, Vt.; Multi-Health Systems in Toronto, Canada; and Portland Symphony Orchestra in Portland, Maine.
Here’s what the association had to say about the two Maine winners:
“Community Health Options is one of four Affordable Care Act-created consumer-operated and -oriented insurance plans remaining in the nation. The company is widely recognized for its Workplace Flexibility and Transition Program for older employees. There are no formal performance appraisals, and employees receive eight hours of paid time off each year for preventive health appointments.”
“The company is widely recognized for its Workplace Flexibility and Transition Program for employees. Workers enjoy the ability to change daily work schedules and start/end times, work a compressed schedule and work remotely. Targeted training programs are geared toward recruiting and retaining older workers, supporting their continued contributions to the workforce.
“At weekly staff meetings, employees are encouraged to discuss work interdependencies, and leadership solicits input from staff during company-wide focus groups every year. There are no formal performance appraisals. Instead, managers meet with staff at least twice per month to discuss performance, work successes and barriers, and determine next steps. Leaders found that regular discussions encouraged the development of trust that leads to results.
“Members routinely give CHO high marks for courtesy, respect and getting the information they requested. CHO has weathered many regulatory changes, a political climate hostile to health insurers, and loss of federal funding. However, its mission continues to resonate with customers and employees."
And for Portland Symphony Orchestra, noting that it is recognized to be one of the top orchestras of its size in the country, the association stated: "Staff work together to enrich the community, offering mutual respect, openness and collaboration. PSO has operated in the black for the past nine years, with a portion of the surpluses reinvested in staff and musicians through a professional development fund and staff bonuses.”
“Staff meetings are held regularly to share events and schedules across the departments. Unified concert planning sessions are held monthly during the season to ensure that all departments are current with the production of, and their role in, upcoming concerts. These connections and an open office environment ensure good communication, which increases efficiency and helps to reduce stress.
“With the PSO’s full calendar of events on weekends and weekday evenings, maintaining work-life balance can be a challenge. The solution: Staff are given the week off between Christmas and New Year’s and days off after July 4th in addition to their paid vacation/sick time to make up for the high-peak work periods. In addition, each employee may have two free tickets to each performance, which enhances their knowledge of symphonic music. Employees are also encouraged to attend events held in the community and public schools to expand their understanding of the PSO.
“The PSO recognizes the importance of continuing education and professional development. Numerous senior staff have completed an external yearlong training that provides the leadership skills, knowledge and connections to serve as leaders in nonprofit organizations.
Organizations of all types across the United States and Canada can apply each year for APA's Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards. Applicants undergo a rigorous evaluation process that assesses their workplace practices. The evaluation process includes an application, an essay questionnaire, an employee survey and an in-person site visit. Recognition is given to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, as well as government, military and educational institutions.
Applications for the 2020 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards are open now through July 1.
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