Dear Fellow Nebraskans:

 March is Wellness Month in Nebraska and I want to take this opportunity to highlight efforts that promote wellness in workplace.

As part of Wellness Month, I’ll be emphasizing factors that contribute to wellness at work, school, home, and in local communities. This week, I want to focus on workplace wellness.

In state government, we’re taking action on two fronts to encourage our employees to take their own wellness seriously. The first is in the area of public policy.

As a major employer in Nebraska, the state is trying to lead by example in encouraging worker wellness with a bill before the Legislature, introduced by Sen. Tim Gay of Papillion. LB 884 would help the state control medical and health-related costs associated with the state employees’ health insurance program, while also encouraging state workers to make wellness a personal responsibility.

Wellness is an essential component in the effort to reduce long-term healthcare costs, and we’ve made promoting wellness among state employees a priority for 2008. At the start of the year, I encouraged employees to participate in the N-Lighten Nebraska challenge, which helps teams track activity and wellness goals. The challenge began last month and is open to teams of co-workers, students of all ages, friends and families throughout Nebraska.

Now that we’re moving in the right direction in state government, we’re challenging others to get involved with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Wellness. The award is open to any Nebraska organization that’s successfully encouraged employees to lead healthier lives.

Increased productivity and greater employee satisfaction are just two of the benefits businesses and organizations realize from wellness programs. This award is one way to highlight programs that serve as a model for others.

More than 100 businesses have contacted state public health officials to learn about creating a healthier workplace. My hope is that this recognition program will help encourage more Nebraska employers to take worker wellness seriously in the years ahead.

Those companies that have a plan already in place can find information on applying for the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Wellness online by visiting www.Nebraska.gov. We hope to award the first group of awards in May, with a second round of employers being recognized at the end of the year.

Creating a culture of wellness involves changing our mindset. Wellness Month is an opportunity to provide Nebraskans with the information needed to lead healthier lives.. In addition to impacting the bottom line of businesses, wellness is a tool that can help improve the already good quality of life most workplaces have created.