MUKWONAGO, Wis. — A Wisconsin-based workplace wellness company is expanding on the promise that healthier, happier employees are more productive and better for the bottom line at the same time. COR Wellness is now working with employers in five Midwest states, and doubling down on in-person on-site programming, even in the post COVID era.
“I think the object of most businesses is to make your customers happy and to beat the competition,” said COR Wellness CEO Jerry Curtin. “So to make your customers happy, you probably want to have happy people taking care of those customers to make them happy.” Curtin is a former HR professional who helped create the new company with an eye toward succeeding where other wellness programs failed.
“Our ability to come in with a program that says, healthy body, healthy diet, healthy mind. Your performance matters. Let's keep it simple,” Curtin explained. “If you want to customize it to whatever you would like, that's okay, but we provide these three things as a foundation that everyone can participate in.”
In delivering, COR encourages employers to build time for wellness into the work day. Employees can visit a chiropractor on site, take a nutrition or cooking class, meet with a wellness coach, all part of the program. “We've heard so many great stories from our employees that tell us (about) successes,” said Tom Nicholson, Vice President of Operations and Finance at GS Global Systems. The Mukwonago-based company was among the first to sign with COR Wellness five years ago. “Either they're moving better. They're feeling better. That makes us feel great. It also confirms that we're on the right track.”
Longtime GS employee Corey Kreif agrees. “I got on board right from the beginning.” Kreif, who works on the company’s manufacturing floor, has taken full advantage of the wellness programs. He sees the chiropractor up to twice a week, changed his diet, lost weight and is overall felling better. “I’m in a lot better shape than when I start ed the COR Wellness program,” Kreif said. “Less aches and pains. I am able to do more on the floor. More strength.”
He also says it’s made him a more productive worker. It’s one of the ways the program creates better business outcomes for its clients. “We're a real company. Real manufacturer. We have the same goals that other companies do,” Nicholson reiterated about the competitive environment at GS. “We don't have a half-pipe and a DJ hanging out in the office. We've got work to do. We work hard, and we do a great job. So the program is built around still being able to function. You can take 10 minutes out of your day, recharge your batteries. Go for a walk. Go see the chiropractor. Learn a new recipe or something like that. Go back to work, and that ultimately does pay off for the company.”
It’s exactly how former HR guy, Jerry Curtain, designed it. “Hopefully by engaging with the people that we meet, at the end of the year we can actually look back and say not only was engagement great, but we actually got healthier. And our clients really appreciate when that ties to the bottom line and it saves money.”
Here are two links to learn more:
