A conscientious employer, Don Leuenberger says, has a responsibility to provide reasonable opportunities for employees to participate in healthy activities and to encourage employees to take part in healthy activities.
“As a major employer and as a health sciences center, we ought to be an exemplary employer in terms of the opportunities we offer employees to identify and manage their own risk factors and healthy lifestyle needs,” said Leuenberger, UNMC vice chancellor for business and finance. “We’ve made a lot of progress in these areas at UNMC, and there’s more that we need to do and will do.”
For his efforts, Leuenberger last week received the William M. Kizer Light of Wellness Award from the Wellness Council of the Midlands. Leuenberger received the Leadership Award, given to a person who demonstrates senior management leadership and support for an organization’s wellness program.
Jayme Nekuda, manager of health promotion, nominated Leuenberger. Nekuda said that Leuenberger initiated the relationship between UNMC and SimplyWell, a health risk management program that provides a mechanism for employees to assess their lifestyles and to make positive changes. The program is available to employees on the UNMC health insurance plan.
“It was because of Don’s persistence that UNMC forged this partnership with SimplyWell and has embarked on a program whereby employees are not only measuring their own health assessments but assuming responsibility for healthy outcomes,” Nekuda said.
Leuenberger has impacted campus wellness in other ways, as well. He has pushed for UNMC participation in community walks, runs and bicycle rides; the campus is mapped for noontime walkers; UNMC provides wellness and fitness classes for employees at nominal fees; and UNMC sponsors a competitive cycling team. His interest in wellness is multi-dimensional. As UNMC’s chief financial officer, he sees healthy lifestyles’ value in fewer work absences, lower health care costs and improved morale. On a personal level, he has found exercise as a means of reducing stress and maintaining weight.
“Five years ago, I developed hypertension. My weight and stress began to get away from me a bit,” he said. “My wife (Jani) and I modified our eating habits – we do less takeout.”
Bicyclists for about a decade, the Leuenbergers are regulars on Omaha-area trails. They will bike more than 2,000 miles this year, and they enjoy hiking. In the winter-time, Don uses the Center for Healthy Living about four times a week.
“I have to very consciously take whatever opportunity I have to do something every day,” Leuenberger said. “If you don’t consciously make time for exercise, you won’t do it.”
At UNMC, Leuenberger said, more people are incorporating healthy habits into their everyday lifestyles. More employees are using the Center for Healthy Living, and more are involved in other fitness activities.
“Our goal is to make people aware and actively engaged in healthy activities, whatever that may be to fit that individual’s needs,” Leuenberger said. “In many respects, we’ve just gotten started on this.”