Firm Ranked #1 in Its Category for Its Culture of Movement-at-Work
For the second straight year, Salo and its affiliates Oberon and NumberWorks walked away with top honors at the annual Twin Cities’ “Healthiest Employer” awards luncheon today. The firm was ranked #1 among companies with 101-500 employees in the 2011 Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal competition.
Salo has long embraced a culture in which ‘movement’ plays a central role. “We are delighted to be recognized for our culture of movement,” said Craig Dexheimer, Salo’s Director of Operations and Administration. “Receiving this award for the second year validates our passion to get to a future state, which includes continually evolving our wellness approach.” And that commitment, Dexheimer said, is paying off in increased productivity which has a direct impact on the bottom line. “People are just more engaged and we believe that’s because everyone is very active at work. We simply don’t sit still,” he explained.
As a company, Salo exudes positive energy in everything it undertakes. Its approach to workplace wellness is no exception. In 2008, the firm participated in a Mayo Clinic study measuring the effect of increased activity on wellness in an office setting. Treadmill desks and games were brought in for the 18 study participants. After six months, the average weight loss was 8.8 pounds per person.
Today, the treadmills and games are still there but the company continues to seek out new wellness ideas and approaches that are fun and can keep people energized and engaged. “We are always looking for ways to advance our organization forward,” Dexheimer said, “so it’s no surprise that our people are always looking for the next best way of doing something.”
The Healthiest Employers of the Twin Cities project was established by the Business Journal to recognize companies committed to creating a healthy workplace. To be eligible, companies must have an office in the Twin Cities 13-county metro area with at least five employees. Each is ranked based upon the total number of employees since the scope of a firm’s wellness program tends to be based upon its overall size, rather than just the number of workers in a local office.
Companies completed a survey that included about 75 questions which were grouped into six categories:
- Culture and leadership commitment
- Foundational components
- Strategic planning
- Communication and marketing
- Programming and intervention
- Reporting and analysis
Fifteen companies were selected as honorees. Special recognition was given to the top-ranked firms in each category size.
