Offset Paperback Becomes Smoke Free As Part Of Company’s Employee Wellness Program

In keeping with its efforts to control healthcare costs and focus on employee well-being, Offset Paperback Mfrs, Inc. (OPM) announced last Friday that all of its facilities, properties and grounds, have been designated as smoke and tobacco free environments.

In December of 2002, OPM was one of the first printing companies in the U.S. to create a functional healthcare commission designed to educate and train its workforce on issues related to health and preventive medicine. As a leading regional employer, OPM has witnessed spiraling healthcare costs and their growing impact on the company and other area organizations. The commission’s goal is to find ways to control those costs, and the focus for doing so is on employee wellness and healthy lifestyles for the whole family.

The commission has already implemented several successful programs. Last year, for example, the commission hosted several health fairs, screenings and other wellness education and awareness programs. In April 2005, with the upcoming smoke free initiative in mind, OPM hosted a health fair featuring healthcare providers and experts on smoking cessation and reduction programs.    Employees could also undergo a blood screening for cholesterol and glucose along with pulmonary function and oxygen saturation testing.    And an optometrist was on hand to test employees for glaucoma and evaluate their vision.  

OPM also recently renovated and restocked its cafeteria and concession areas. Now, they all offer healthier food and snack choices as well as discounted prices on bottled water.

“We remain committed to helping our workforce and their families lead healthier and happier lives,” said Joseph Makarewicz, Executive Vice President of OPM. “In the process, we realize that our efforts will directly impact our bottom line by keeping health care costs at a manageable level thereby allowing us to maintain our competitiveness in a very tight economic environment.”

OPM keeps employees up-to-date on the commission’s efforts and on various health-related topics in every issue of its monthly newsletter.