Governor Pete Ricketts and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently awarded Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) with a Grower Wellness Award.
The award is presented every three years as part of the Governor’s Wellness Awards. It honors organizations that demonstrate significant improvement in employee health behaviors. This year is the fifth time BCBSNE has received the award since 2008.
Kathy Nellor, BCBSNE health transformation leader, said the award highlights the company’s wellness initiatives and the difference those initiatives make in employees’ lives.
“It shows we have created an evidence-based program based on data, behavior change programming and the creation of a supportive environment to help employees choose and live a healthier lifestyle and become their best, healthiest and most productive selves,” Nellor said.
BCBSNE is the only Omaha company to receive a Governor’s Wellness Award in 2020.
“Our approach to employee wellness has long emphasized the business’s commitment to wellness and showcases the holistic approach that BCBSNE takes so that employees can work their best,” said Sarah Emanuel, wellness services manager at BCBSNE. “The recognition validates that this approach is meaningful to the organization and employees.”
Since receiving the award most recently in 2017, BCBSNE has maintained its dedication to wellness.
“The BCBSNE wellness program continues to engage employees in a variety of personal health development activities,” said Emanuel. “Measurement of outcomes is done with an annual health risk assessment. We’ve continued to have over 70% participation in annual assessments, which allows us to determine the top preventive health conditions to focus programming around.”
They have focused programming on areas such as weight management/nutrition, improving physical activity levels and addressing stress.
The company knows that helping its employees stay healthy directly impacts how the business runs.
“People do their best when they feel their best,” Emanuel said. “Our business, like others, depends on the full engagement of a healthy workforce to create the successful business outcomes that BCBSNE experiences.”
See the full list of 2020 Governor’s Wellness Award recipients here.
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