Nebraska's Criteria for Workplace Wellness Excellence

What makes a winning corporate wellness program? Everybody has their own definition, but it's always interesting to see new ones.

Take a look at the criteria for excellent workplace wellness programs just published by the Nebraska Governor's Excellence in Wellness Awards.

Using language familiar in an agricultural state, the awards are given to "sowers" and "growers" in small and large companies. From the webpage:

The Sower Award is intended to be a stepping-stone to the Grower Award. All award criteria are based on sound research and best practice models. As with agriculture, worksite wellness is an evolutionary process. There is always room for growth and change. The Sower Award plants the seed for wellness.

The Grower Award rewards businesses for changing health behaviors. National awards are available for those that chose to take their wellness program to a higher level. Businesses that have achieved national recognition are often “harvesting” financial return on investment. The Governor’s Award has been developed to begin the process of planting, growing, and harvesting a quality worksite wellness program.

Check out the criteria for the different award levels.

• Sowers need to have someone on staff with responsibility for a wellness program. Growers have to have senior management support.
• Small company sowers don't need to have health insurance to qualify; big company growers do.
  

It's always great to see new recognition for the importance of corporate wellness. Especially those that talk about "harvesting" a return on investment.