A PERSONAL APPROACH to wellness is taken by staff at Groov-Pin Corp. Through the company's health and wellness plan - GP Fit - leadership at the Smithfield-based pin and threaded insert manufacturer works hand in hand with employees to make sure everyone knows exactly what is being offered.

Marketing specialist Lauren Ciuba says the company's wellness team directly interacts with employees to help them get set up to participate in the program, as well as provides personal help with any questions about insurance.

"We communicate regularly with everyone on the team so when we are planning new initiatives, we know what people would like to focus on," Ciuba said. "When we try something new, we also get detailed, honest feedback."

Currently, about 80% of Groov-Pin's employees participate in some form of company-sponsored health benefit programming. A key motivator for employees to participate is that Groov-Pin leadership is passionate about wellness and executives make it a priority to personally participate in program offerings, reinforcing the company's commitment to wellness at all levels.

Whether they register with Groov-Pin's insurance plan or not, the door is open for all employees to participate in wellness challenges and earn prizes for pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Such prizes include employees earning health savings account dollars, Ciuba says, particularly for volunteering or participating in any type of community fundraising event.

Also, at the suggestion of one employee, ­Ciuba says, Groov-Pin provides a greater variety of challenges to encourage participation.

"At the time, she was having a physical issue with her knee and was not able to fully participate in our walking challenges," Ciuba said. "Hydration, exercise minutes, vegetarian meals, meditation and other challenges allowed her to still participate in the program and reap the benefits."

Groov-Pin's wellness program also includes weekly and monthly challenges that focus on the different pillars of health. Among them are financial challenges, such as rainy day savings, spring cleaning and decluttering, and financial awareness and knowledge; social and community challenges that include engaging with members of the community and volunteering; various mental health challenges, including stress reduction, meditation and breathing techniques; and physical health challenges, such as step, minute and mile goals, team races, hydration and healthy eating.

A benefit unique to Groov-Pin is its GP-N-Motion program, which allows employees to earn up to $95 per month to use toward health care costs by completing daily, weekly and monthly challenges featuring topics such as hydration, mindfulness, finances, mental health, nutrition and sleep. About 35% of Groov-Pin's employees participate in the GP-N-Motion program and they collectively complete more than 60,000 active minutes per month.

Focusing on more than just movement, the program's online platform allows users to sync data from different brands of fitness trackers and even use the tracking data from their phones.

In addition to lunch-and-learn events, holiday celebrations, yoga and volunteering, newer program offerings at Groov-Pin include virtual meditation, fresh fruit and vegetables in the lunchroom, and challenges via the company's MoveSpring app in which participants receive credit for completing various wellness tasks.

"I cannot say enough about how Groov-Pin has changed my outlook on physical and mental health," said Peter Amoriggi III, controller. "I have utilized these programs and the monthly GP-N-Motion credit to put towards a gym membership and cycle classes. I can confidently say that I am a healthier version of myself now than I was the day I started. Healthy employees come to work with energy and a good attitude that promotes a good working environment. When others see those benefits, that drives them to be healthy."

Ciuba agrees. She says not only are healthier employees more productive but they also interact more positively with each other.

"When you are physically, mentally and socially healthy, you are better able to work collaboratively and problem-solve," Ciuba said. "Our employees work well together and they often have fun participating in challenges that promote some friendly competition."