Employee Wellness Is Top Priority At Royal Caribbean
MIAMI (CBS4) - In an economy where businesses are cutting back everywhere and anywhere possible, one of South Florida's largest employers is doing quite the opposite.
A ribbon cutting for an on-site medical facility at Miami based Royal Caribbean, Inc. Headquarters at the Port of Miami is met with thunderous applause.
The cruise line is making sure it's employees are in ship shape health.
"One of my co-workers said today she waited at doctors for two hours and he didn't show, so this is a great way to not waste company time," said Dorothy Aloma, Executive Assistant at Royal Caribbean.
Aloma says the facility is a wonderful addition for convenience and the price is right.
The two full time doctors are on staff, waiting for workers to pay just 10 dollars to be examined. That's less than most co-pays for a check up, no insurance needed.
CBS4 News pulled some statistics that shows the average worker takes 5 sick days a year. Royal Caribbean has about 4000 employees, that totals 20,000 total sick days for the company. But with the on campus site, sick days are expected to be cut at least in half..
"We want to be employer of choice to make life a little easier," said CEO Richard Fain.
For workers there is no insurance involved, no paperwork, no appointment, no waiting and no complaints.
"We think this will pay for itself many times over," said Fain.
Programs like this one with Tenet Health have been shown to reduce healthcare costs, improve employee morale, employee health and increase productivity.
Interestingly, the onsite medical center is wedged between the onsite daycare and the company health club.
