DRAPER, Utah—Contact lens retailer, 1-800 CONTACTS, a subsidiary of managed health care company, WellPoint, Inc., has been honored with the 2013 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility for its use of flexibility as an effective workplace strategy to increase business and employee success. This is the seventh year 1-800 CONTACTS, Inc. has received the honor. Part of the national When Work Works project administered by Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management, the award recognizes employers of all sizes and types across the country.

“At 1-800 CONTACTS, the key to our reputation of superior customer service is our associates,” said Brian Bethers, president of 1-800 CONTACTS, Inc. “That is why we invest heavily in our work environment, foster a sense of value in our associates, encourage career development and reward company commitment.”

“Our research consistently finds that employees in effective and flexible workplaces have greater engagement on the job and greater desire to stay with their organization. In addition, they report lower stress levels and better overall health,” said Ellen Galinsky, FWI president. “As a recipient of the 2013 Sloan Award, 1-800 CONTACTS ranks in the top 20 percent of employers nationally in terms of its programs, policies and culture for creating an effective and flexible workplace. In addition, what makes this honor so special is that their employees have corroborated this, affirming that it is indeed an effective and flexible workplace.”