GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – A health and wellness symposium in Glenwood Springs this month aims to help small businesses reduce healthcare costs and retain employees. The event features Olympic and X Games medalist and professional snowboarder Chris Klug as keynote speaker.
The Mountain Communities Small Business Health & Wellness Symposium takes place March 31 at the Glenwood Springs Community Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. The half-day event focuses on low-cost solutions to help businesses retain top talent, and improve morale and productivity amongst its employees.
“If you want to attract and keep top employees, you really need a work environment where the employees feel good about the place they are spending the majority of their day,” said Carrie Godes, public health specialist with Garfield County Public Health. “Workplace wellness programs don’t have to be complicated or costly. We have outstanding nonprofits in this community that have some of the best wellness programs I’ve seen. They don’t have the money to offer large salaries, but what they can offer is equally appealing for a lot of people.”
The symposium also features Colleen Reilly, a top Colorado workplace wellness expert who provides attendees with “turn-key” wellness program templates.
Reilly, vice president of Total Well-Being, will moderate the event. She’s a former instructor at the University of Denver, and a health strategist with more than 60 Fortune 500 clients. Reilly also served on the Colorado Governor’s Council for Physical Fitness.
Klug, a bronze-medal winner in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is a liver transplant survivor and motivational speaker who lives in Aspen. He will speak on overcoming personal obstacles, improving health and well-being, and how a healthy workforce is more productive for not only businesses, but the entire community as well.
The symposium also features a local employer panel with four Western Slope workplace wellness programs. Panelists include the City of Glenwood Springs, The Aspen Chamber Resort Association, RA Nelson Construction, and Mountain Family Health Center. The session will discuss tips on current wellness offerings and their impacts, as well as a question-and-answer segment.
“The workplace is the right place for wellness if you are looking to reduce healthcare cost or simply to improve employee morale and productivity,” said Godes. “I’m thrilled to be able to bring this incredible resource to the community.”
Attendees can register at www.garfield-county.com, or by calling 970-665-6385. Tickets are $20, which includes breakfast.