Personalities: Wellness to the Extreme

Hank Orme, president of Lincoln Industries in Lincoln, NE, believes healthier employees make happier, more productive employees. His company, a national supplier of metal finishing-intensive parts that employs more than 500 people, has grown more than 15% per year over the past 15 years. A significant contributor to Lincoln Industries' success has been the company's comprehensive wellness program, a major component of Lincoln's strategic plan and organizational culture for nearly a decade. The program was recently recognized with the C. Everett Koop National Health Award for 2008, given annually by the Health Enhancement Research Organization.

On the origins of the company's wellness commitment: It began with [Lincoln Industries] owner Marc LeBaron, who believes in the importance of fitness and is very athletic. When people are in good [physical] condition, they're happier and more satisfied, and more productive. Eight or nine years ago, we hired a wellness manager to put together and organize a set program.

On making wellness a part of organizational culture: We require employees to undergo four physical exams per year. This checks their blood pressure, flexibility, body weight, and body fat. Once a year we do blood, vision, and hearing tests. After the exams, every employee sits down with the wellness staff and puts together a list of goals. We have things like Wellness Wednesdays and encourage them to participate in activities. With that participation and by reaching their [fitness] goals, they earn points toward medal status: platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and non-medal. This year, 103 people qualified for platinum. We offer a weekend in Colorado—on that first morning, we hike up a 14,000-foot mountain. Seventy-one people went, and all 71 of them made the climb. Before every shift there's group stretching, and we have a masseuse on staff. Wellness has become such a part of our culture that we couldn't get rid of it if we wanted to. The people love it.

On the ROI of wellness: We've seen enormous cuts in our healthcare costs, based on what our peers pay. Our worker's compensation claims are miniscule. Our people are happier, and there's better morale. This helps us succeed.

On winning the C. Everett Koop National Health Award: We celebrate it. The award is based on implementing a wellness program and the ability to show its proven results in improving employee health and cutting [healthcare] costs. Our people take a lot of pride in this.

—Justine Murphy