Employees of the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Get Fitbits

Durham-based personal injury law firm, the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, is now offering $100 toward Fitbit purchases for all employees as part of their ongoing health and wellness program.

As part of an ongoing employee health and wellness program that began several years ago, the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin is offering their employees $100 toward the purchase of a Fitbit, a wearable electronic device that allows you to track activity, exercise, calories, weight, and sleep.

James S. Farrin, firm president, said of the program, “Our employees are our best assets, and we are always looking for meaningful ways to invest in them to give them incentives to enjoy the rewards of good health. We made a huge commitment several years ago to encourage our employees to engage in more physical activity and healthy eating. So far, the Fitbit program has been very well received and the benefits are exponential. The healthier our employees are, the more productive they are likely to be, and they can potentially save money on their health insurance premiums. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

To make this community-centric wellness program fun and engaging, the firm divided into teams who support each other and compete in small challenges, which help them stay motivated. They use a fitness assessment to track improvement periodically.

Jennifer Horn, a paralegal with the firm and Wellness Committee member made the observation that sitting is the new smoking. “My Fitbit makes me very aware of the number of hours I sit. We tend to get so caught up in our clients and our work, I like it when my Fitbit reminds me to get up and move.”

In an effort to foster a community environment among its employees, the Fitbit “exercise incentive” is just one part of the law firm’s overall wellness programs. The firm’s Wellness Committee offers Wellness Lunch and Learns, for example. These one-hour events feature all kinds of broad “everyday living” topics, such as financial information and investing, legal documents you need in your life, home organization tips, stress management, meditation, and more.

Ally Powers, the firm’s human resources manager, sees both personal and firm-wide benefits. “I enjoy the immediate positive reinforcement my Fitbit offers when I reach my goals. And on a broader scale, I’ve noticed groups popping up like the run club, or a group doing a couch to 8K,” she said.

Sadie Cunningham, who is a negotiator for the firm as well as a Wellness Committee team leader, sees benefits beyond the physical, “We share great ideas for different types of activities and healthy eating tips too. I am grateful my coworkers are sharing, and we are growing closer as a group by supporting each other, no matter where our fitness levels are.”