An increase in the popularity of the triathlon and the multiple advantages of having able-bodied employees inspired Trifitness of Fairfield to create a program for dominating the work week.
Paul and Pascale Butcher founded Trifitness in 2001. The company creates and helps clients train for triathlon-based events around Connecticut. They are the creators of the SoBe-sponsored sprint event in Norwalk and Health Net event in Milford.
Trifitness offers training primarily in group efforts, making its style suitable for encouraging fitness and health in company employees. According to the Wellness Councils of America, for every $1 a company spends on employee wellness programs, it can expect to save $3 in health care costs.
“It”™s really a great draw for corporations who have different teams and even different departments competing together,” said Pascale.
Pascale is the head coach at Trifitness and says that she found her calling as a trainer through wanting to help others share her own love of exercise and fitness. She is a USA Triathlon Level 2 certified coach, USA Track and Field Level 1 certified coach, National Academy of Sports Medicine and American Council of Exercise certified personal trainer, and a successful competitive runner and triathlete.
Paul also is an experienced triathlete, though he remains an interactive marketing executive and entrepreneur with Horizon Marketing Group. He is president of the Coastal Fairfield County Sports Commission.
Pascale came with her husband from Marseille, France, to Connecticut. She is no stranger to business, having attended business school in France and worked as an accountant before coming here with her husband. Pascale says that she was always taught when growing up in France to be organized. Many of her ideas about health come from her roots and culture. “The very healthy lifestyle I was brought up with in France taught me to live well,” said Pascale.
According to Pascale, the team environment is very important to the program.
She and her husband are interested in combating the obesity rate and in helping companies encourage a level of productivity in the work place. Pascale believes health woes are something that can easily be halted in the workplace because of the basic group element that already exists and the incentive to cut back on unnecessary spending that should only promote good health.
The program they have designed is called the “Right Weight.” It allows people to set their own weight loss goals and also allows them to compete in the triathlon at a level with which they are comfortable. The Butchers have found that having a group and allowing for these comfort levels help to achieve a higher rate of commitment in the event: a 1.5K swim, 40K bike ride, and a10K run.
“Through these group programs, the triathlon will not be as intimidating and time spent doing the race is more fun than anything,” said Pascale.
“We have created, this year, a corporate challenge specifically designed to make employees of corporations try a new thing in 2008: a triathlon,” said Pascale. “We are very excited about it, because it is there to help people try something challenging and get healthy and have fun at the same time. We are going to train and encourage them for 12 weeks, and have them race a triathlon in Shelton on June 21 at the Health Net triathlon.” The race features a $1,500 prize.
Businesses including Pitney Bowes and IBM are among the corporations in Connecticut that have like-minded programs.
Pitney Bowes has instituted what it calls the Healthcare University program, which provides financial rewards to employees for certain healthy activities like exercise, nutrition counseling, smoking cessation, cardiovascular checkups and cancer screenings.
The company also has an onsite medical team that provides basic services such as flu shots, strep tests and free antibiotics for basic conditions such as flu and colds.
In December 2006, Pitney Bowes and four other corporations formed an independent nonprofit institute called “Dossia” through which U.S. employees, dependents and retirees can maintain secure, private, personal and portable health records.
IBM’s newest wellness incentive focuses on children’s health. IBM feels that with child obesity becoming such a large concern in the U.S., it’s time for employers to get involved and give employees incentives to encourage their kids to eat right and exercise. They also recognize that sick kids present a burden for parents.
IBM”™s children’s health rebate is geared to help families focus on good nutrition and physical activity. IBM employees will earn $150 by participating in the program. This is IBM’s fourth wellness rebate available to U.S. employees. Other rebates focus on exercise, healthy eating and weight loss, smoking cessation and health exams.
In 2004, IBM says they”™ve seen positive results from their programs in employees’ hypertension, activity levels and stress.
