Avison Young Earns Prestigious Minimizing Risk, Maximizing Health Award from Assurance
In a significant recognition of its commitment to fostering a healthy and thriving workplace, global commercial real estate services firm Avison Young has been honored with the Minimizing Risk, Maximizing Health (MRMH) Award by Assurance, a leading insurance brokerage. This esteemed award underscores Avison Young’s proactive and successful strategies in enhancing employee well-being while effectively mitigating workplace risks and optimizing health benefits.
The MRMH Award is a testament to the transformative power of a dedicated approach to employee health. It serves as a benchmark for excellence, open exclusively to Assurance’s U.S. clients who actively collaborate with the brokerage to achieve measurable and impactful results in workplace risk reduction and the promotion of employee health and well-being. To qualify for this highly coveted accolade, organizations must demonstrate a substantial and quantifiable improvement across several key performance indicators related to health, safety, and financial wellness. Avison Young’s journey exemplifies the profound positive change that can be achieved when a company prioritizes its most valuable asset: its people.
The MRMH Award: A Standard for Workplace Excellence
The Minimizing Risk, Maximizing Health (MRMH) Award is more than just a trophy; it’s a recognition of deep-seated commitment and tangible success. Assurance, known for its strategic insights and robust risk management solutions, designed this award to highlight companies that go above and beyond in creating healthier, safer, and more productive work environments. The criteria for the MRMH Award are rigorous, requiring recipients to demonstrate significant progress in areas such as:
- Reduction in Healthcare Costs: Implementing strategies that lead to lower medical claims and more efficient use of healthcare resources.
- Improved Employee Health Metrics: Demonstrable enhancements in employee physical and mental health, often reflected in wellness program participation and health screenings.
- Reduced Workplace Incidents: A noticeable decrease in safety-related incidents and workers’ compensation claims.
- Enhanced Employee Engagement and Morale: Programs that foster a positive work culture, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates.
- Strategic Benefit Plan Utilization: Successful encouragement of employees to adopt benefit plans, like Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), that offer both immediate and long-term advantages.
Avison Young’s achievement in meeting these stringent requirements showcases their dedication not just to compliance, but to cultivating a culture of wellness that truly permeates the entire organization. This strategic partnership with Assurance played a critical role in identifying key areas for improvement and implementing targeted solutions that yielded impressive, measurable outcomes.
Avison Young’s Transformative Wellness Journey: Inspired Leadership
The genesis of Avison Young’s remarkable wellness journey traces back to an inspiring personal transformation. In 2014, Mark Rose, the esteemed Chair and CEO of Avison Young, embarked on a profound personal health transformation. By embracing a new lifestyle centered around healthy eating and regular exercise, Rose not only achieved significant personal milestones but also ignited a powerful passion to share his newfound well-being with his colleagues. His journey transcended individual achievement, becoming a catalyst for a company-wide initiative aimed at holistic employee health.
This CEO-led inspiration laid the groundwork for a broader corporate wellness strategy. Just one year after Rose’s personal transformation, Avison Young launched a pioneering weight-loss and wellness coaching challenge. Recognizing the importance of engagement, the company ingeniously incentivized participation by directly linking medical contributions to employees’ involvement in these vital programs. This strategic move proved incredibly effective, propelling employee engagement to unprecedented levels and signaling a significant shift in the company’s approach to employee benefits and well-being. The initial success of this challenge paved the way for a much larger, more comprehensive focus on general wellness and the strategic adoption of Health Savings Account (HSA) insurance plans.
The company understood that true wellness extends beyond just physical health; it encompasses financial well-being and the ability to make informed healthcare decisions. The integration of HSA plans was a crucial step in this direction, empowering employees with greater control over their healthcare spending and fostering a sense of ownership over their health management strategies. This holistic vision, born from inspirational leadership, set Avison Young on a path to creating a genuinely supportive and healthy work environment.
Educating and Empowering: A Multi-Faceted Communication Strategy
To effectively communicate the upcoming wellness initiatives and, crucially, to educate its more than 1,400 U.S.-based employees on the significant benefits of utilizing HSA plans, Avison Young orchestrated an impressive and intensive communication campaign. Over a concentrated 14-day period, the company conducted more than 40 face-to-face meetings across various locations. This direct and personal approach was instrumental in demystifying complex benefit structures and conveying the genuine value proposition of the new wellness programs and HSA options.
These interactive sessions allowed employees to ask questions, voice concerns, and receive immediate, clear answers from company representatives and benefits experts. Such a dedicated effort in communication underscores Avison Young’s commitment to ensuring every employee felt informed, understood the advantages available to them, and felt empowered to make choices that would benefit their health and financial future. This intensive outreach program was a critical factor in driving widespread understanding and, ultimately, high levels of participation.
Quantifiable Impact: Unprecedented Engagement and Significant Savings
The meticulous planning and dedicated execution of Avison Young’s wellness and benefits strategy yielded truly impressive, quantifiable results. The intensive communication efforts and the compelling incentives led to a remarkable 52-percent increase in HSA plan participation. This significant uptake demonstrates employees’ growing understanding and appreciation for the financial and health-related advantages that HSAs offer, including tax-advantaged savings and greater control over healthcare spending. Concurrently, wellness program participation surged by an equally impressive 46 percent, indicating a thriving culture where employees actively engage in improving their health.
The focus on the physiological and financial wellness of its employees translated into substantial, tangible savings for Avison Young. The company proudly reports more than $750,000 in savings as a direct result of these initiatives. These savings are multi-faceted, stemming from various areas such as reduced healthcare claims due to a healthier workforce, more efficient plan utilization, and potentially lower premiums associated with a more engaged and health-conscious employee base. Beyond the direct financial impact, such programs inherently lead to a reduction in absenteeism, an increase in productivity (presenteeism), and a boost in overall employee morale, creating a more robust and resilient organization.
Leadership Endorsement and Acknowledgment of Excellence
Paul Bartman, a principal at Assurance, lauded Avison Young’s exceptional efforts, stating, “The team at Avison Young has done a tremendous job of dedicating time and resources to help get the message across and to get people to engage in wellness programs and this benefits strategy.” His comments highlight not only the success of the programs themselves but also the significant investment in communication and employee engagement that made these achievements possible. Bartman emphasized the unique distinction of the award, adding, “The MRMH Award is a special award of which they should be very proud. I know we’re very proud to be a part of it.”
This endorsement from Assurance underscores the collaborative spirit that defined the partnership. Assurance’s role as an expert guide in navigating the complexities of insurance and risk management, combined with Avison Young’s proactive approach to employee well-being, created a synergy that delivered exceptional results. Receiving the MRMH Award signifies Avison Young’s position as a leader in corporate wellness, setting a high standard for other organizations aiming to foster a healthier, more engaged, and financially secure workforce.
The Broader Impact: A Blueprint for Corporate Wellness
Avison Young’s success story, crowned by the MRMH Award, serves as an inspiring blueprint for organizations worldwide looking to prioritize employee health and well-being. Their journey illustrates that an effective corporate wellness program is not merely a perk but a strategic investment that yields substantial returns in multiple dimensions. By integrating executive leadership’s personal commitment with comprehensive benefits education and compelling incentives, Avison Young has cultivated a culture where employees are empowered to take charge of their health and financial futures.
The dramatic increase in HSA and wellness program participation, coupled with significant financial savings, unequivocally demonstrates the power of a holistic approach. Beyond the quantifiable savings, a healthier workforce is generally more productive, more engaged, and more loyal. This leads to reduced turnover, a stronger employer brand, and an enhanced ability to attract and retain top talent in a competitive market. The focus on both physiological and financial wellness acknowledges the interconnectedness of these aspects in an individual’s overall quality of life and performance at work.
Assurance’s MRMH Award not only celebrates Avison Young’s accomplishments but also shines a spotlight on the critical role insurance brokerages play in guiding clients toward such strategic initiatives. Through expert advice and tailored solutions, brokers can help companies navigate the complexities of benefits design, risk management, and wellness program implementation, ensuring long-term success. Avison Young’s recognition is a powerful reminder that investing in employee health is an investment in the future resilience and prosperity of the entire organization.
Conclusion: Leading the Way in Employee Well-being
Avison Young’s recognition with Assurance’s Minimizing Risk, Maximizing Health Award is a profound affirmation of their dedication to creating an environment where employees can thrive both personally and professionally. From the inspirational leadership of Mark Rose to the meticulous execution of comprehensive wellness and benefits education programs, Avison Young has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the holistic well-being of its over 1,400 U.S.-based employees.
The impressive figures — a 52-percent increase in HSA plan participation, a 46-percent surge in wellness engagement, and over $750,000 in savings — are clear indicators of a program built on strong foundations and executed with precision. This success story underscores the vital importance of integrating health, financial literacy, and proactive risk management into the core fabric of corporate strategy. As Avison Young continues to set a gold standard in employee care, their achievement with the MRMH Award stands as a beacon for other companies, illustrating that a healthy workforce is indeed the cornerstone of a successful, resilient, and forward-thinking enterprise. This award truly celebrates a win-win scenario for both employees and the organization, fostering a brighter and healthier future for all.