For the fourth year in a row, the City of Salisbury is honored as one of the “Healthiest Employers” in the greater Charlotte region. The annual Charlotte Business Journal competition ranked Salisbury in second place in the “Employers with 50-499 employees” category.
With just over 450 full- and part-time employees, Salisbury continues to make significant progress in improving employees’ health through its popular Health and Wellness Committee. The employee-led group works to offer beneficial, wellness-related experiences, events and tips to employees. An on-site nurse practitioner is an added benefit for staff who need bloodwork, seasonal vaccines and non-emergency visits for minor illnesses.
The city also continues to offer emergency paid sick leave (COVID-19 pay) to employees who are out of work due to the coronavirus. Employees receive 10 shifts of emergency paid sick leave. The benefit has been well-received as employees understand the city is voluntarily opting to continue with that coverage. The city is also working with a provider to address the unique mental health challenges of first responders.
“I am extremely proud of our staff who have a role in ensuring that our employees have access to wellness programs,” said City Manager Jim Greene. “Health and safety is always a top priority for us as a local government concerned about the quality of life for its residents. Nowhere is that more valued than within our own organization. From continued COVID prevention tactics to friendly weight loss competitions, we’re doing the work to support our employees as they pursue healthier lifestyles.”
The rankings and scores for the Healthiest Employers competition were provided by a third-party surveying partner, Indianapolis-based Healthiest Employers LLC. Nominated companies completed surveys that were verified, scored and ranked. Scored categories included “culture and leadership commitment,” “foundational components,” and “reporting and analytics.” The companies were divided into five size categories by number of companywide employees: 50-499, 500-1,499, 1,500-4,999 and 5,000+.