Brenda Rivera has dropped from a size 16 to a size 8 after several rounds in an office weight-loss competition. Jeff Pedone has been able to stay fit by lifting weights during his lunch hour. And Tammy Godwin has lost 50 pounds by walking and pedaling on a treadmill, elliptical machine and stationary bike.
They work for Kelly & Associates, a Hunt Valley insurance broker and consultancy, and say their daily workouts haven't just been allowed during the workday, they've been encouraged.
The four brothers that run Kelly, all athletes in school, say they have tried to instill a healthy attitude in the building. They've also tried to sell wellness programs to their clients as a means to save on their health insurance.
Prompted by increasing rates of obesity and related health problems, more companies are following Kelly's lead. Executives who have programs say their workers are happier and more productive. And while no one could put a dollar figure on it, the business leaders said they believe they are saving money.
All those extra pounds cost their employers an estimated $12.7 billion in medical expenses and billions more in productivity losses, according to the American Heart Association, which has launched a campaign for more "fit companies" like Kelly.
"We've come to recognize that healthier employees are happier employees, well-motivated employees and less costly employees," said Francis X. "Frank" Kelly III, chief executive of the 330-person office.
Businesses have started walking groups, opened gyms, offered smoking-cessation plans and overhauled the cafeteria and vending-machine food. Top managers also have started joining the activities in an effort to change the office culture, which, for many Americans, means hours upon hours sitting at a desk.
Several Kelly workers said it wasn't uncommon to see one of the principals on an exercise bike or playing basketball behind headquarters.
The American Heart Association says nine companies in the region got its fit company designation this year by starting or maintaining healthy workplaces. They are listed in association literature and can use the label in recruiting and retention.
The companies were honored at a recent breakfast downtown at the Center Club that also served as a sales pitch to other area business leaders. Association leaders say it's hard to achieve a healthful workplace without the lead of the executives - and about 15 expressed interest in beginning programs.
