We are very excited to announce that Cherry Central has qualified for the 2023 Bronze-Level Michigan Healthy Worksite Award!

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Michigan Healthy Worksite Award recognizes employers who are utilizing the Designing Healthy Environments at Work tools and actively investing in well-being programs designed to improve the health of their workforce.

MDHHS has recognized that our organization has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the culture of health within our workplace by focusing on the work environment along with organizational practices and policies. 

Here is how we did it:

At Cherry Central, we take a three legged approach to our employee wellness program: we encourage and promote healthy wellness habits, we carve out time for community volunteer opportunities as well as supporting healthy financial habits for long term health and well-being.

We’ve partnered with BCBS/BCN as well as our local agent to offer an abundance of information to employees including wellness tips, links to monthly newsletters, campaigns and employee challenges. We rely on effective communication as a key part of employee engagement, health and productivity. We’ve created a “fun committee” whose role is employee engagement and hold office Olympics focused on movement and teamwork.

Cherry Central Cooperative prides itself in being a part of our local northern Michigan community through the support of charitable organizations. Community volunteering promotes better physical health and research has shown that volunteering leads to lower rates of depression and anxiety. Volunteering increases positivity and improves relaxation. Our Volunteer Program was implemented in early 2022 that allows employees to volunteer at a charitable organization of their choice for up to 8 hours once per quarter (either on or off company time). Further, Cherry Central has a blue jean fund which allows employees to wear jeans to work in return for a one dollar contribution for each day worn. At the end of the calendar year, the jeans fund is turned over to a committee who determines where these funds will be donated to help the surrounding community.

Promoting financial fitness is another area that Cherry Central has taken a deeper dive into, providing tools to educate employees in order to make wiser decisions when it comes to saving for their future. Strategies for improving our 401K plan health were implemented and in just over a year, the plan participation went from 30% to 75% and an average deferral rate of 2% to a deferral rate over 3% which will continue to increase annually because of an escalation provision.

At Cherry Central, we believe that engaging employees in their wellness habits has a reciprocal effect on productivity, making Cherry Central a place where people want to work.

2023 Michigan Healthy Worksite Awardees:

Gold

Accenture

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Bronze

Cherry Central Cooperative

Grand Traverse County

RJG Inc.

Honorable Mention

Capital Area District Library

Celestial Gastronomy, LLC DBA The Lakehouse Bakery

Centra Wellness Network

District Health Department #10

Friendship Centers of Emmet County

Health Department of Northwest Michigan

Henry Ford Health System

MSU Federal Credit Union

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi

Region 10

University of Michigan

WK Kellogg Foundation