Our Journey to the Honorable Mention Michigan Healthy Worksite Award

Your local library is thrilled to share some exciting news: we’ve been honored with a 2023 Honorable Mention Michigan Healthy Worksite Award. Let’s delve into what this achievement means for us and how we’re making wellness a priority in our workplace.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Michigan Healthy Worksite Award recognizes employers implementing the Designing Healthy Environments at Work tools and prioritizing employee well-being through tailored programs, fostering a culture of health by focusing on workplace environment and policies.

“We know the health and well-being of our staff is essential to the success of CADL and we appreciate being recognized for our efforts to provide these opportunities to our wonderful employees,” said CADL Human Resources Director Julie Laxton.

This marks our second consecutive year of being honored with the Healthy Worksite Award Honorable Mention, a testament to the dedication of our Wellbeing Workgroup. Comprised of seven employees, this group spearheads quarterly activities aligned with its mission statement: empowering our team members' well-being through the implementation of health-focused policies and practices.

In 2023, the Wellbeing Workgroup kicked off its activities by conducting an employee survey to solicit feedback on priority areas for focus, including stress reduction, ergonomics and walking goals. With responses from nearly 50 percent of CADL employees, the group tailored the year's remaining programs accordingly.

The subsequent activities included a basic elements of meditation webinar, a presentation on office ergonomics and our inaugural 30-day walking challenge. Notably, about 68 percent of staff members enthusiastically joined the challenge, showcasing widespread participation and engagement.

In the end, CADL Holt-Delhi won the 2023 Walking Challenge with 112 walking points, equivalent to 28 hours of walking. Additionally, our Aurelius (pictured on right) and Dansville branches were recognized for their 100 percent participation and were treated to Tropical Smoothie.

“Holt staff really enjoyed the Walking Challenge! The competition helped some of our participants go for walks more regularly or extend their walks longer to get more walking time in,” said CADL Holt-Delhi Head Librarian Karon Walter. “We have even more folks who are excited to do the walking challenge again this year along  with the other wellness opportunities that will come!”

Receiving the 2023 Honorable Mention Michigan Healthy Worksite Award is just the beginning of our journey to improve the well-being of our organization and employees. Our Wellbeing Workgroup is currently crafting this year’s activities, aiming further to foster a culture of well-being within our workplace. Planned programs include a spring organizing webinar, building upon the success of our Walking Challenge, a financial planning presentation and more.

Discover exciting opportunities to be part of an organization dedicated to prioritizing employee well-being. Explore our current openings at cadl.org/jobs today!