HR manager Sharon Hengel (L) and HR generalist Danette Smith accept the Wellness by Design Award.

Hennepin County Public Health hosted the Wellness by Design Award ceremony at the Maple Grove Community Center on Nov. 7. Seventy-six organizations in Hennepin County, including Aspen Equipment, were in attendance. Organizations were recognized for making employee health a priority through creative and effective wellness initiatives.

Wellness by Design Awards are presented to Hennepin County employers that demonstrate accomplishments in management support, wellness infrastructure, communication, and programming directed at improving employee health. Aspen Equipment is a multi-year award recipient, winning multiple awards between 2009-2013.

Sharon Hengel, human resources manager of Aspen Equipment said "we've had wellness programming at Aspen since 2008. Our program continues to evolve to meet employees where they are. Our annual wellness survey provides us with employee feedback and suggestions, which we use to determine the quarterly activities for the next year. Some foundational activities remain consistent, but we challenge participants to take one more step forward.

"Wellness and safety are integrated and contribute to our overall culture, which is particularly impactful in our shop environment. Our president [Todd Foster] initiated being directly involved in our Fun committee."

Worksite wellness programs are of value to both the employee and employer. They can improve employee performance, increase engagement, lower healthcare costs and build community. Effective programs create a culture of health that affects all employees.

Family-owned since 1926, Aspen Equipment designs and builds purpose-built trucks for construction, railroads, electric utilities, mining and tree care industries. Aspen Equipment is headquartered in Bloomington, Minn., with branch offices in Des Moines, the Quad Cities, and Omaha.

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