Employee Wellness proves it pays to be healthy

Starting small and making a plan with a crew can help Blazers with desk jobs stay active — and one employee from the School of Education says walking meetings have changed the game for her and her team.

From learning how to develop an academic plan, find lactation centers on campus, gain access to Blazer Kitchen and more, UAB is a place where parenting Blazers can thrive.

The annual initiative from UAB Employee Wellness provides a free, 15-minute health screening to all benefit-eligible UAB, UAB Hospital, UAB LLC, UAB Health System/UA Health Services Foundation and Cooper Green employees. Appointments are available April 3-June 1.

This past year, more than 4,700 employees activated their My Health Rewards account, and more than 3,600 logged enough healthy behaviors to receive a payout of $50 or more. Activate your account and explore new ways to earn cash rewards.

Throughout Wellness Week Oct. 17-21, employees and students from across UAB and UAB Medicine shared dozens of photos and videos that represent what wellness means to them. 

Take a walk around campus to find a little-known green space closest to you and take a moment for mindfulness using this Google Map we created just for you.

Established by a committee of individuals from across the university and UAB Medicine, Wellness Week is designed to help the UAB community prioritize rest, well-being, mindfulness, movement and good nutrition.

The annual initiative from UAB Employee Wellness provides a free, 15-minute health screening to all benefit-eligible UAB, UAB Hospital, UAB LLC, UAB Health System/UA Health Services Foundation and Cooper Green employees.

Advice from five fellow employees on getting started, finding a group, staying motivated and coping with weather. Plus: how to run a successful walking meeting.

This past year, more than 4,500 employees activated their My Health Rewards account, and more than 3,400 logged enough healthy behaviors to receive a payout of $50 or more.

Join University Recreation’s spring mindfulness series Jan. 25-April 14 to begin practicing mindfulness strategies to reduce stress and improve mental health.

Get answers to some of the more frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 voluntary vaccine incentive.

Each Wednesday in October, join Walk with Wellness meetings on the UAB Walking Trails. Stop by anytime from 11 a.m.-noon for 15-minute group walk-alongs; start times will be staggered, and social distancing will be enforced.

April 14 is scheduled as a day off for the academic campus to rejuvenate.

One highlight is an interactive self-care plan that enables users to set goals and track their healthy habits, activities and mood each day.

From doctors to chaplains to counselors, UAB employees supported patients, students and each other with compassionate care using telehealth, mental health apps, innovative testing strategies and more.

B Well UAB helps students easily access resources on mobile devices and build a self-care plan that encourages healthy habits.

Blazers Bounce Back, which has helped thousands of students develop resiliency skills, will be available to all UAB students in Canvas during the spring semester.

The certification, normally $1,500, is $650 for students and $750 for nonstudents.

At UAB, Alicia Booker helps unpack the meaning in struggle and defuse tension.

This free tool, available to employees and their families through a UAB partnership, lets users practice quick techniques to relieve tension, find calm, create positive thoughts and manage stress.

The UAB Employee Assistance and Counseling Center will be eligible for up to 15 free counseling sessions and 15 free life-coaching sessions per calendar year, an increase from 12 per year in response to an increase in mental health and wellness needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Depression symptoms are rising during the pandemic, but a new study shows that having a healthy savings account has a protective effect. Free financial counseling from UAB and other employee training resources offer a step-by-step guide to savings success.

UAB’s AWARE program provides confidential disability-management services when an employee’s job is affected by a physical, mental or emotional impairment.

For its commitment to employee health and corporate health programming, UAB was named one of five finalists of the 2019 Healthiest Employers of Alabama, an awards program administered by health-intelligence platform Springbuk.

New services include a primary-care mental health team with a licensed psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse practitioner for telehealth appointments — all hosted through HIPAA-compliant Zoom.

UAB Employee Assistance & Counseling Center offer online tools and information to improve mental health, increase resiliency and support friends, family and co-workers who may be struggling.

UAB’s Student Counseling Services and the Mental Health Ambassadors are creating special resources for students who are struggling to adjust during the current novel coronavirus pandemic.

Emotional intelligence is the top trait of effective leaders. UAB leadership expert Jean Ann Larson, Ed.D., explains how to take control, whether you are managing colleagues or your kids' fears.

UAB Employee Wellness' Riley Thornton recommends ways to keep it together and move forward while teleworking and limiting face-to-face contact.

Stress is unavoidable in this uncertain time. But as Professor Diane Tucker, Ph.D., explains, you can take control — and make the most of this historic opportunity.