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EHL Insurance has offices in Poulsbo and Port Angeles; serving the communities of Bainbridge Island, Kingston, Silverdale, Indianola, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Port Ludlow, Port Townsend, Seattle, Tacoma, Edmonds, Bellevue, Aberdeen and all in between! In addition to Washington, we have clients in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, California, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona!

Choosing the Right Wellness Program

Over the past couple of years you watched your employees get sick while productivity declines, insurance rates rise and profits decrease. Now you have decided it is time for a wellness program. Wellness program hype is endless and the number of choices is daunting, so how do you choose a solid path for your company to travel?

First determine what you have:

• How many employees?
• Are there particular risks associated with their jobs such as having a desk job, or lifting heavy items?
• Do you have any training or awareness already in place?
• What are your main goals with the program?
• Is anything available from your insurance carriers?
• What is your budget?
• Do you have someone to help/guide you, a broker or other trusted advisor?
• Do you want to create your own program or purchase a premade one?
• Who will run the program? You? A team? Someone else?

If you want to design your own program with a limited budget I highly recommend you talk to your medical carrier as well as your broker. This gives you the greatest control with the least budget and there are plenty of ways to do this, as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort. 


EHL staff incorporate wellness into their lives! Riding to work; Golfing; Competing in the Silverdale Whaling Days Outrigger Canoe Races

Premade programs usually charge a flat fee and have a specific timeframe with set activities for your employees to do. The upside is that they virtually run themselves with little or no thought by you and generally come complete with premade campaign materials. The downside is that they don’t necessarily target your goals and they are generally short in duration.

There are also a number of customizable programs that can be tailored to your company’s goals. These types of programs typically charge a per employee per month fee and run for a year or more at a time, at your discretion. On the upside these programs are still pretty hands off while allowing for a more gradual rollout. They also allow for more content customization as well as the ability to change on the fly and keep employees engaged and motivated throughout. The downside to this is that they can be expensive, though not all are, and you will likely have to sign a one or two year contract.

Even if you can’t afford a big program please remember that even the smallest of steps is a step in the right direction. Every inch towards better health for yourself and your employees is huge for them as well as your company.

Evaluate the possibility of starting a wellness program by answering the above questions.

Upside Down Sour Cream and Other Money Saving & Food Storage Tips

Eating healthier is more expensive in the beginning but costs less in the long term as your health improves. This sounds good in theory but is more difficult to accept whilst forking over the green at the check stand. Here are a few tips on how to eat healthier while saving money by paying less up front and keeping food fresh longer and out of the trash.
Planning and Purchasing

• Plan meals ahead of time with an eye on optimum usage. By this I mean plan a way to use the whole head of lettuce before it spoils or find a way to use the leftover meat from Sunday’s dinner in something quick for Monday.
• Plan meals around what is in season. If asparagus is in season the price will be better and the product will not only be fresher but will be packed with more nutrients. Try a farmers market for fresher produce and lower prices.
• If you are really organized create multiple week long menus that optimize the use of ingredients then rotate the menus to keep from getting burned out.
• Grocery shop, from a shopping list, once a week instead of each night before dinner. This will ensure better eating habits and will cost less overall.
• Steer away from the pre-packaged ready to eat food (cut carrots, bagged salad, etc), it costs a lot more than buying the ingredients and making it yourself.

Make it Last Longer

• Make sure your refrigerator is set below 40° for less spoilage.
• Keep the refrigerator clear of clutter and expired items leaving room for the cool air to circulate and keep food fresh longer.
• Know how to store each food properly. For example bananas should remain in a bunch for the longest shelf life, garlic should be stored in a cool dark place and ripe tomatoes should be stored stem side down in the refrigerator. For more storage tips see this blog post on Mint.com. http://www.mint.com/blog/saving/storing-produce-07072010/
• Find ways to keep items from going bad and learn how to revive them if they do. Try buttering the cut end of your cheese to keep it from drying out or soak limp vegetables in ice water to revive them. How about storing cottage cheese and sour cream upside down to prevent bacteria growth? This information and more is available at CBSnews.com. http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500164_162-7340130.html 

Next Steps: Plan the next week’s meals in advance and do one larger shopping trip and watch the savings rise while the stress diminishes.