State of Arizona Moves Up to 30th Place in the Healthiest Workplaces in America Ranking

Twelve Arizona employers, including the State of Arizona, have been recognized among the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America 2025. The awards program, which is led by Healthiest Employers, recognizes organizations that prioritize the health of their employees.

Organizations are evaluated based on their commitment to workplace wellness and health and benefits offerings. The benchmarking was carried out with the help of a national group of representatives from the academic, medical, wellness and business communities.

The state of Arizona moved up in the rankings from 68th last year to 30th this year; it was ranked in 100th place the year before. The climb in rankings comes after a years-long focus on employee well-being and professional development for the Arizona Department of Administration, which manages benefits, human resources and wellness programming for all state employees.

Elizabeth Alvarado-Thorson, director of the Arizona Department of Administration, said that the state's emphasis on wellness is inspired by a core value of investing in people.

"We are proud of the benefits we offer Arizona's public servants and their families, and ADOA's Benefits Services Division works hard to keep costs down for employees while adding resources that will promote their health and well-being," she said. "We're honored to be recognized for the outstanding work that has been done to make state government a healthy place to work."

A foundational component in the state's success in implementing employee wellness is the Health Impact Program, which has more than 23,000 users across state government. The HIP platform allows state employees to participate in activities, challenges and screenings to earn points for healthful activities; progressive annual cash incentives are available up to $200.

The HIP portal encourages daily wellness engagement that is personalized for disease management, checkups and tips for people at different stages of life and career.

Amanda Accatino, Arizona's well-being and employee assistance manager for the Benefits Services Division, has overseen the program for more than 10 years and said it helps the state continue to provide excellent benefits while managing costs and offering more individual health resources.

"I'm really proud to work on this effort, because I've seen how it has changed people's health outcomes and their lives," Accatino said. "It's so rewarding to see how people embrace the opportunity to think about their own holistic well-being. The state as an employer is very supportive of that, and it ultimately benefits not only our employees but also all the Arizonans we all serve."

Accatino said that HIP participants report feeling more productive and energized at work and that they've missed fewer work days.

The competition is tough, but the recognition means more because of it. Healthiest Employers Program Manager Haley Potoczek said, "Our Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America winners demonstrate an unwavering commitment to supporting the health, happiness and performance of their employees. This recognition celebrates organizations that go beyond programs and policies; they create cultures where employee well-being thrives."

This isn't the only recognition Arizona has received recently for employee health. Earlier this year, for the second year in a row, the state of Arizona was named Phoenix Business Journal's Healthiest Employerin the extra-large companies category.