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The recipients were recognized during a special luncheon at the OPA Annual Convention on November 6, 2003 . Representatives from both companies were present and are pictured below.

A summary of why each company was selected follows. Applications for next year’s award are available on the PHWA page.

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Above: Dayton Heart Hospital representatives President and CEO Ken Howell, Vice President of Clinical Services Pat Ashe and Human Resources Coordinator Sharon Smith receive their award from James Brush, PhD, OPA President.

Overview of Applicant: Dayton Heart Hospital
Dayton Heart Hospital received consistently high ratings in all areas. A number of programs and procedures have been implemented to enhance the workplace environment for employees, the success of which is clearly indicated by the quality of the staff attracted and Dayton Heart Hospitals’ ability to retain this staff. For example, the average amount of experience for nurses is 15 years post degree! A yearly employee survey is conducted to assess job satisfaction, which is consistently high. The most recent survey indicated an 88.2% positive response rate, and a completion rate of 97.8% attests to employees’ belief in the value placed in their feedback.

Solicitation of feedback is an ongoing process, however, and not a one-time event. A Retention Committee has been formed, composed of representatives from each department of the hospital, that meets monthly for the purpose of encouraging employee suggestions for improving the psychological climate of the hospital. Physical and online suggestion boxes are available for constant feedback and improvement suggestions. Perhaps more importantly, the suggestions are taken seriously. Management responded to a recent request from employees and made an important change – they installed a cappuccino machine!

The quality of the Dayton Heart Hospital staff is enhanced by numerous training opportunities. For example, training on topics such as sexual harassment, stress and workplace violence prevention are provided. The Preceptorship Program matches all new employees with a veteran employee to provide guidance and aid the new employee in acclimating to his or her new role. Tuition reimbursement, team leader management training symposiums, educational sessions, and payment for certification renewal are all available. In fact, all nursing assistants are currently using tuition reimbursement to study nursing!

In addition to encouraging professional development, care is taken to ensure the personal well being of employees. EAP services are encouraged and employees are allowed to go outside the plan as needed. The hospital facility includes a chapel and numerous break areas. On-site yoga, aerobics, massage therapy, a massage chair, weight loss programs, and screenings are all available. There is an arrangement with a health spa and local Y for employees and sports teams have been formed. Employees are rewarded with breakfast or pizza when there is full census and greater workloads and there are numerous moral building projects such as company picnics, Dragon’s outing and tailgate parties and the development of a cookbook.

In order to provide balance between the personal and professional lives of employees, Dayton Heart Hospital offers flexible hours, the choosing and trading of schedules, split shifts, a flexible benefits program and a management that is sensitive to home-based issues. With programs such as these, it is no wonder that Dayton Heart Hospital is a recipient of the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award!

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Above: Lee Gatten, Vice President, Patti Rutter, RN, COHN/CM, and Nancy Wall, RN, BSN accept Bank One Corporation’s award from James Brush, PhD, OPA President.

Overview of Applicant: Bank One
Bank One was evaluated by Richard Rynearson, PhD, Chair of the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Committee, Michael Ranney, Executive Director of the Ohio Psychological Association, and Ellen Mrukowski, Director of Communications and Education for the Ohio Psychological Association. Bank One Corporation is a large for-profit organization that is one of the nation's leading financial institutions whose growth allows it to focus on continuing to innovate and enhance customer service. Thinking globally while acting locally, Bank One Corporation supports nonprofit organizations and programs that address local needs and opportunities.

It works to empower communities and to expand financial, housing and business opportunities for individuals and small businesses. Bank One also extends the dedication it bestows on its customers to the employees that work for it.

Bank One Corporation also received high ratings in all categories, demonstrating its efforts to anticipate and address the needs of its employees. It has adopted a multi-faceted approach in creating systematic, longstanding programs that address a variety of employee-related issues. For instance, its Wellness Program is designed to help workers establish and maintain healthy lifestyles through health screenings and seminars on a variety of physical and mental health topics. For instance, informal, free “Lunch and Learn” seminars cover topics such as surviving perfectionism, attitude, humor, cholesterol reduction, dealing with adversity, smoking cessation, diversity, achieving balance, skin cancer and resilience. Self-paced on-line learning courses are available in such topics as vision, asthma and allergies and ergonomics. It is clear from the broad range of topics that Bank One considers all aspects of an employee’s life, from professional to personal, to be important. Following this philosophy, free screening programs are offered, including blood pressure, body mass index and skin cancer to name but a few. Bank One even offers nursing care on a walk-in basis for emergency or non-acute health problems!

Bank One’s Employee Assistance Program has existed for more than 20 years and is designed to respond quickly to emergencies, provide crisis intervention and de-briefing and present customized seminars about managing work, stress, change and lifestyle. Some locations even have a psychologist physically available on-site! Bank One maintains a multi-disciplinary Critical Incident Response Team to assess and respond to threats of violence. Bank One’s dedication to preventing violence is also reflected in its partnership with Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence and the piloting of a domestic violence awareness program for employees. Also in the family realm, Bank One has developed a program called WorkLife Services, which helps employees find answers to questions about managing life and work. Referrals, information and consultation are provided on issues ranging from adoption, adult care and child care to college and career preparation. Flexible work options, such as flextime, telecommuting and job sharing, are also offered as ways to aid employees in optimizing the work-family balance.

Bank One ensures that employees remain informed, utilizing Intranet to disseminate information and allow easy employee access to programs through a program called HR Connection. Programs available address employee growth and development, employee involvement and family support. Also available over intranet is the Bank One University , which offers more than 2,500 on-line courses covering a wide range of topics. For example, there are introductory and advanced courses in topic areas relating to specific lines of business, courses that lead to specific certifications and licenses and courses relating to various managerial skill sets. Bank One also offers tuition reimbursement. In thinking about employee needs, Bank One has constructed an integrated health management program that recognizes the interdependence of the workplace and the physical and mental health of the individuals within the workplace. It is because of this forward thinking that Bank One has emerged as a leader not only in the financial world, but also in employee care, making it a very deserving recipient of the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award!

Conclusion
A 2000 poll conducted by the American Psychological Association found that one in four employees has taken a “mental health” sick day. According to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress. The benefits of low worker stress extend from a better workplace atmosphere and increased satisfaction to increased productivity and employee retention rates. These two organizations are to be commended for recognizing the importance of the psychological health of their employees and their efforts made to not only maintain but also enhance the mental health of their employees. It is OPA’s hope that more organizations will follow in the footsteps of Bank One and Dayton Heart Hospital .