The Healthiest State Initiative recently launched a free online training program designed to help Iowa businesses develop better relationships between supervisors and workers and to improve engagement and retention of employees.

The TEAM (Teaching Employees Accountability Matters) training is part of a continued effort by the Healthiest State Initiative to improve the health and well-being of Iowans.

“The new TEAM training program is designed to establish open communication and respect between employees and their supervisors,” said Jami Haberl, executive director of the Healthiest State Initiative.  

“We know that a good supervisor and employee relationship is key to employee engagement.”

According to the Gallup State of the American Workplace report, 70 percent of U.S. workers are not engaged in their jobs, resulting in lower productivity in the workplace, higher turnover and a greater risk of safety accidents. This costs U.S. companies between $450 billion and $550 billion each year.

The program was developed and reviewed by experts at Broadlawns Medical Center, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Hawkeye Community College, Hy-Vee, Iowa Association of Business and Industry, Iowa Chamber Alliance, Iowa Workforce Development, North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corp., UnityPoint Health, and Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

The training includes two programs: TEAM Workforce, designed to be delivered to all employees, and TEAM Supervisor, designed to be delivered to first-time supervisors. Each program features eight 30-minute modules, presentation, and evaluation forms. The curriculum is self-guided and allows employers to insert company-specific policies and expectations.

“This tool is going to be valuable for organizations in the Greater Des Moines area and throughout the state of Iowa,” said Jay Byers, CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. “We are pleased to sponsor a program that further promotes our mission of making Central Iowa one of the best places in the nation to build a business, a career and a future.”

The TEAM training could particularly benefit smaller companies with limited training resources.

“We wanted to develop a tool for Iowa employers who do not have access to this kind of resource,” said Bill Leaver, president and CEO of UnityPoint Health. Leaver served as chair of the Healthiest State workplace well-being committee that oversaw development of the TEAM training curriculum. “This program will help employers increase employee engagement, which correlates with improved health habits and fewer chronic illnesses.”

The TEAM training program can be accessed online.

   To read an insider article featuring interviews with Jami Haberl and other health experts about the Healthiest State Initiative’s progress, click here.