Oct. 12, 2023
In partnership with Springbuk, we are excited to announce our honorees for the 2023 Healthiest Employers of Wisconsin. All applicants were considered for our Healthiest 100 Workplaces America award which was announced on October 4.
92.9% of the Wisconsin companies surveyed are on a hybrid schedule where employees are in the office on specific days. 7.1% work onsite or in-person and 0 companies are fully remote.
Additionally, some notable statistics from this year’s groups include:
- 100% of companies provide access to financial advisors and planners to support healthy financial well-being
- 92.9% offer tuition reimbursement opportunities
- 78.6% are utilizing a health analytics platform to stratify the risk of members
- 21.4% reported a decrease in total healthcare spend over the last 12 months
Congratulations to this year’s finalists!
*Please note that employee counts are based on full-time employees.
25 to 499 Employees
1st The Starr Group – Greenfield – 27 Employees
The Starr Group is an insurance and risk-management agency that has been in business since 1956. They specialize in balancing insurance with alternative risk financing strategies while improving our customer's total risk wellness.
In October 2021, The Starr Group initiated its inaugural employee Burnout Survey during the COVID pandemic. Remarkably, nearly 100% of team members participated, signaling a strong desire to express their thoughts and be heard. The survey uncovered widespread challenges, including major life traumas, fear of failure, financial stress, and depression. Acknowledging the complexities of the hybrid work environment, the company swiftly adapted wellness programming, introducing measures such as unlimited coaching, work-from-home options, on-site massage, unlimited PTO, and the option to bring dogs to work.
Responding to a suggestion from the Best of the Best Committee, the organization established a Mental Well-being Support Group named "Being Herd." The group convenes monthly for one hour, with employees encouraged to attend in person or virtually, and no requirement to speak—listening is equally valued. "Being Herd" serves as an open forum for employees to share, listen, and learn about mental health, creating a safe space for mutual support.
The overarching goals include destigmatizing mental health, fostering an environment where employees can bring their authentic selves to work, and embracing the notion that it's "OK not to be OK" as long as individuals are actively working toward improvement. Over the past 12 months, the Being Herd support group has maintained an impressive average attendance rate of 75-80% of employees.
2nd Gamber-Johnson LLC – Stevens Point – 170 Employees
3rd von Briesen & Roper, s.c. – Milwaukee – 309 Employees
500 to 4,999 Employees
1st Faith Technologies Incorporated – Menasha – 2,606 Employees
As a national leader in engineering, construction, manufacturing, and clean energy, Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI) offers extensive services across three innovative divisions – Faith Technologies, Excellerate, and EnTech Solutions. This dynamic model allows them to provide limitless opportunities for partners and team members while delivering impactful results.
FTI emphasizes the importance of making healthy choices by offering a Healthy Lifestyle Reimbursement Program to all full and part-time team members. The program provides a $300 reimbursement per family per calendar year, covering a range of well-being categories such as weight management counseling, healthy cooking assistance, nature preserve memberships, fitness events, gym memberships, exercise classes, home fitness equipment, portable exercise gear, wearable fitness devices, nicotine cessation classes, sports leagues, standing desks and converters, and foot orthotics.
This program is continually refined based on direct employee feedback, with team members actively contributing to its evolution. Since its inception in 2012, the reimbursement program has expanded from three to twelve well-being categories. Notably, FTI has experienced a substantial increase in wellness reimbursements, averaging between $130,000 and $140,000 per year—an impressive 900% rise from 2017.
2nd Gilbane – Providence, Rhode Island (Local Office: Milwaukee) – 3,005 Employees
3rd Merz Aesthetics – Raleigh, North Carolina (Local Office: Sturtevant) – 892 Employees
4th Sikich LLP – Naperville, Illinois (Local Office: Brookfield) – 1,565 Employees
5th Zebra Technologies Corporation – Greenville – 4,707 Employees
5,000+ Employees
1st Nelnet – Madison – 7,198 Employees
Nelnet is a service company specializing in consumer finance, telecommunications, and K-12 and higher education. Based in Lincoln, Nebraska, with offices around the globe, their 8,500+ associates work together to serve our communities and make customers’ dreams possible.
Nelnet has emphasized the importance of biometric screenings since 2006, and their aging cohort group continues to show improvement in health metrics through participation in their unique wellness program. The program is designed to be flexible, offering both outcome and participation-based elements and incentives to support well-being on individuals' terms. Nelnet's wellness initiative is personalized, aiming to meet individuals where they are on their health journey without imposing a one-size-fits-all approach.
A distinctive feature of Nelnet's wellness program is the Elite Wellness Experience. Initiated three years ago, this program rewards associates who meet annual health screening goals and engage with the wellness platform. A random selection of 50 associates is granted a "trip of a lifetime" to hike a 14er, promoting teamwork and mental fortitude by pushing participants to their physical limits.
Amid heightened awareness of the mental health resource shortage in the United States due to the pandemic, Nelnet is actively challenging its current vendors to optimize their offerings and leverage programs. The company regularly raises awareness about mental health resources through quarterly newsletters, company-wide emails, and campaigns. Notably, their Employee Assistance Program (EAP) sees significant utilization, exceeding 70%. This success is attributed to the diverse promotion methods, including internal portals, webinars, leadership presentations, and email communications, underscoring the commitment to making mental health support accessible and well-utilized among employees.
