MPA awards St. Luke’s healthy workplace honors

St. Luke’s received the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award from the Minnesota Psychological Association at its annual convention April 20 in Minneapolis.

With this award, St. Luke’s, a health system of hospitals and clinics, is recognized as an organization that goes above and beyond in supporting and recognizing its employees. The award is designed to recognize organizations for their efforts to foster employee health and well-being while enhancing organizational performance. St. Luke’s is the only organization in Minnesota to receive this award this year.

“The award committee examines organizations’ efforts across five areas: employee recognition, employee involvement, employee growth and development, health and safety, and work-life balance, said Jack O’Regan, PhD, LP, Psychology in the Workplace Network Representative of the MPA. The committee gathers information from multiple sources to ensure that only the most deserving organizations win this award, including application material, and employee survey, and a visit to the organization by members of the award committee.”

O’Regan said St. Luke’s efforts and accomplishments “demonstrated a strong commitment to employee involvement through its open and welcoming culture.”

In addition, managers make personal connections with all employees and solicit ideas for improvement from them, he said.

During the site visit, employees reported St. Luke’s is available to help them with personal issues, such as schedule changes to meet family needs or the Vacation Donation program to help co-workers in need. Many employees also lauded St. Luke’s tuition reimbursement program and leadership training workshops as important to their professional development. Finally, St. Luke’s recognizes the importance of employee recognition through the WOW Cards program. Employees rated St. Luke’s very high on the employee survey for St. Luke’s attention to employee well-being.

Marla Halvorson, St. Luke’s director of human resources, accepted the award on behalf of St. Luke’s during the Minnesota Psychological Association’s annual convention luncheon.

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