Of all the assets held by a company, none are more important than its employees. Healthy employees are the backbone of productivity, and that is no different for OATS, Inc. a statewide nonprofit transportation provider.  OATS is initiating a statewide program, dubbed OATS Wellness for Life Program, which will begin next month.
"As a company who is responsible for the health and well-being of thousands of Missourians, we ourselves need to embrace leading healthy lifestyles," said Dorothy Yeager, Executive Director of OATS. "We believe that our company wellness program will be a true benefit to both the employee and employer," added Yeager.Â
Companies across the United States report a great deal of success when they offer wellness programs to their employees. Many report that employees have been able to avoid insulin, get rid of sleep apnea, lower cholesterol, reduce their risk for heart disease and even quit smoking.
Over the last several decades, absenteeism, injuries, illnesses, and decreased productivity, associated with lifestyle habits, have resulted in increasing financial liabilities. Rising healthcare costs demand an assertive response, which lead to the creation of OATS new wellness program.
Missouri is listed as one of the top states with the highest obesity rates in the country. Over 30 percent of Missourian's are considered obese. As a company, OATS is taking steps to help reduce that number. Over the next year OATS will implement new programs and activities aimed at keeping their employees healthy, and plan to partner with other agencies across the state to make this a unique program. Some hospitals and companies have already donated to this new program because of the benefit it will provide to so many people. With over 750 employees spread all over the state, OATS is one of the largest and most unique systems of its kind in the country.
OATS, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit corporation providing specialized transportation for senior citizens, people with disabilities and the rural general public in 87 Missouri counties. The home office is located in Columbia, Missouri with seven regional offices located throughout the state. For more information about OATS, Inc., please visit their website at www.oatstransit.org.