PHWP: Good Company

"The Oscars of business...is tonight." When Will Ruch, CEO of Versant, uttered those words at the beginning of his acceptance speech, little did we know that they would set the tone for years to come.

For me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the program is getting to hear outstanding employers share their success stories, describe their commitment to the health and well-being of their employees and talk about the outcomes they've achieved. So, as we prepare to select our 2010 winners and enter the event's fifth year, I thought I'd dust off some of the original footage and share it with you. This video includes highlights from the American Psychological Association's 2006 award ceremony, as well as interview clips from leaders who have excelled at creating healthy, high-performing organizations.

Winners that year included ARUP Laboratories, Versant, The Comporium Group, IBM's T.J. Watson Research Center, Great River Health Systems and Green Chimneys School.

We've had some great keynote speakers over the past four years, but the quote that sticks with me comes from our very first -- former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Alexis Herman -- who described the importance of creating a healthy workplace in these words:

This is not pie in the sky; this is about the bottom line. This isn't just the right thing to do; this is also the smart thing to do.

For more videos from the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, check out our YouTube channel.