Legal Information
THE COMPORIUM GROUP RECEIVES NATIONAL PSYCHOLOGICALLY HEALTHY WORKPLACE AWARD
Rock Hill, SC - (March 06, 2006) - The Comporium Group, a family-owned group of telecommunications companies, has been named a winner of the American Psychological Association's 2006 National Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award.
Comporium was named the winner in the medium for-profit category for the emphasis it places on the health and wellbeing of its employees.
The award is given to organizations that implement a comprehensive array of workplace practices that foster employee health and wellbeing while enhancing organizational performance. Nominees were evaluated in the areas of employee involvement; health and safety; employee growth and development; work-life balance; and employee recognition, all components of a psychologically healthy workplace.
Comporium involves employees through efforts such as a joint employee-management committee that evaluates ideas for new products and services, inviting e-mailed suggestions that go directly to the company president and following up on every suggestion with a personalized response.
Comporium's safety programs and training exceed OSHA requirements, and the organization offers employees a wide variety of health and wellness programs, including health fairs, team sports, weight management groups, flu shots and "lunch-and-learn" sessions on a variety of health topics.
At Comporium, training and development begins with a comprehensive orientation and continues with opportunities for growth throughout the employee's career. A Personal Growth Plan ensures that employees fully capitalize on their skills and helps identify opportunities for further development.
The supportive atmosphere of Comporium extends beyond employees to their families as well. Family members are welcomed at holiday parties and company picnics and have access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services, including emotional, legal and financial counseling, parenting and elder care resources and college assistance. Paid Time Off at Comporium can be used in 15-minute increments for employees to attend to family needs such as medical appointments and school conferences.
Comporium's management recognizes employees in several publications, including a weekly publication that regularly honors employees for providing outstanding service to customers, co-workers, and the community and a bimonthly publication that features "Focus on the Fabulous," a forum where employees can recognize their co-workers for extraordinary work. Another feature, "Thanks for Our Service," relays positive comments received from customers.
"When you have a high level of employee involvement in regards to the decision-making and problem-solving; and, when employees know that they are not alone to deal with their personal issues; and, when they see opportunities to become healthier with their employer's help; then, that business will be able to count on its greatest resource, its employees," says Glenn McFadden, Comporium's Executive Vice President of Operations.
The company's efforts have paid off. Employees report high levels of satisfaction with HR services, benefits and workplace safety and, as a result of Comporium's wellness initiatives, health insurance premiums have increased only 14 percent over the past three years, compared to a 36-percent increase in medical costs during the same period. Comporium's safety efforts have helped the company achieve an OSHA Recordable Incidence Rate that falls below industry average for South Carolina, which has translated into lower insurance premiums. In addition, the average Comporium employee has been with the company for 10 years, and voluntary employee turnover is a low 2.3 percent. Despite large fluctuations in both the telecommunications industry and the regional economy in recent years, Comporium has never had a layoff.
"In today's challenging business environment, organizations are looking for the competitive advantage that will give them an edge in the marketplace and help them exceed their customers' expectations," said Russ Newman, PhD, JD, APA's Executive Director for Professional Practice. "Comporium's low turnover, excellent safety record and ability to manage insurance costs demonstrate that employee health and wellbeing and organizational performance are inextricably linked."
More information about the National PHWA winners and Best Practices Honorees is available at http://apahelpcenter.mediaroom.com. Companies interested in learning more about creating a psychologically healthy workplace or applying for an award in their state, province or territory, can visit www.phwa.org.
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The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.
About Comporium
The Comporium group of companies, based in Rock Hill, S.C., provides a full spectrum of telecommunications and related services, including local telephone, long distance, wireless, cable TV, Internet, security, data services and directory publishing to residential and commercial customers. With currently more than 100,000 telephone and 50,000 cable TV customers, Comporium is one of the largest telecommunications companies and cable TV operators in the southeast U.S. Please visit www.comporium.com for more information.
Rock Hill, SC - (March 06, 2006) - The Comporium Group, a family-owned group of telecommunications companies, has been named a winner of the American Psychological Association's 2006 National Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award.
Comporium was named the winner in the medium for-profit category for the emphasis it places on the health and wellbeing of its employees.
The award is given to organizations that implement a comprehensive array of workplace practices that foster employee health and wellbeing while enhancing organizational performance. Nominees were evaluated in the areas of employee involvement; health and safety; employee growth and development; work-life balance; and employee recognition, all components of a psychologically healthy workplace.
Comporium involves employees through efforts such as a joint employee-management committee that evaluates ideas for new products and services, inviting e-mailed suggestions that go directly to the company president and following up on every suggestion with a personalized response.
Comporium's safety programs and training exceed OSHA requirements, and the organization offers employees a wide variety of health and wellness programs, including health fairs, team sports, weight management groups, flu shots and "lunch-and-learn" sessions on a variety of health topics.
At Comporium, training and development begins with a comprehensive orientation and continues with opportunities for growth throughout the employee's career. A Personal Growth Plan ensures that employees fully capitalize on their skills and helps identify opportunities for further development.
The supportive atmosphere of Comporium extends beyond employees to their families as well. Family members are welcomed at holiday parties and company picnics and have access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services, including emotional, legal and financial counseling, parenting and elder care resources and college assistance. Paid Time Off at Comporium can be used in 15-minute increments for employees to attend to family needs such as medical appointments and school conferences.
Comporium's management recognizes employees in several publications, including a weekly publication that regularly honors employees for providing outstanding service to customers, co-workers, and the community and a bimonthly publication that features "Focus on the Fabulous," a forum where employees can recognize their co-workers for extraordinary work. Another feature, "Thanks for Our Service," relays positive comments received from customers.
"When you have a high level of employee involvement in regards to the decision-making and problem-solving; and, when employees know that they are not alone to deal with their personal issues; and, when they see opportunities to become healthier with their employer's help; then, that business will be able to count on its greatest resource, its employees," says Glenn McFadden, Comporium's Executive Vice President of Operations.
The company's efforts have paid off. Employees report high levels of satisfaction with HR services, benefits and workplace safety and, as a result of Comporium's wellness initiatives, health insurance premiums have increased only 14 percent over the past three years, compared to a 36-percent increase in medical costs during the same period. Comporium's safety efforts have helped the company achieve an OSHA Recordable Incidence Rate that falls below industry average for South Carolina, which has translated into lower insurance premiums. In addition, the average Comporium employee has been with the company for 10 years, and voluntary employee turnover is a low 2.3 percent. Despite large fluctuations in both the telecommunications industry and the regional economy in recent years, Comporium has never had a layoff.
"In today's challenging business environment, organizations are looking for the competitive advantage that will give them an edge in the marketplace and help them exceed their customers' expectations," said Russ Newman, PhD, JD, APA's Executive Director for Professional Practice. "Comporium's low turnover, excellent safety record and ability to manage insurance costs demonstrate that employee health and wellbeing and organizational performance are inextricably linked."
More information about the National PHWA winners and Best Practices Honorees is available at http://apahelpcenter.mediaroom.com. Companies interested in learning more about creating a psychologically healthy workplace or applying for an award in their state, province or territory, can visit www.phwa.org.
###
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.
About Comporium
The Comporium group of companies, based in Rock Hill, S.C., provides a full spectrum of telecommunications and related services, including local telephone, long distance, wireless, cable TV, Internet, security, data services and directory publishing to residential and commercial customers. With currently more than 100,000 telephone and 50,000 cable TV customers, Comporium is one of the largest telecommunications companies and cable TV operators in the southeast U.S. Please visit www.comporium.com for more information.
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