Manager of The Resource Center’s wellness program named to “Well-being 100”

The success of The Resource Center’s employee wellness program has again garnered national recognition.

Donna Trusso, the Manager of TRC’s STARS wellness program, recently was named to the Corporate Health and Wellness Association’s 2018 “Well-being 100” list of wellness leaders. The Well-being 100 Awards honor professionals, consultants, agents and brokers in the human resources, wellness and benefits fields who have done a good job in engaging employees to become healthier. Donna and the other award recipients were recognized during the annual HEALTHCARE ЯEVOLUTION convention in Orlando, FL.

“At a time when employers need to hone in on cost-effective strategies to improve the health and well-being of their employees, Well-being 100 Awards seeks to sift through the white noise and shine a spotlight on the real success stories,” said Renée-Marie Stephano, President of the Corporate Health and Wellness Association and editor in chief of Corporate Wellness Magazine, in announcing the awards program.  “People are truly making a difference that will create more high-performance organizations.”

More than 500 people were nominated. The top 100 wellness leaders were not ranked, but the top 20 received recognition as wellness champions. Though not placing in the top 20, Donna was happy to be included among the top 100 wellness leaders.

“It really was quite an honor,” she said.

Donna said she was surprised to learn she had been nominated for a Well-being 100 Award. She said that when she became a certified corporate wellness specialist in 2016, she met some people affiliated with HEALTHCARE ЯEVOLUTION. They kept tabs on what Donna and her STARS team have been doing at The Resource Center, and this year they decided to nominate Donna.

The Well-being 100 Award follows on the heels of TRC being named one of America’s 100 healthiest workplaces for a third straight year. Donna said that while the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America competition recognizes successful wellness programs, the Well-being 100 Awards spotlight the program managers who deal with the day-to-day operations.

“I really don’t consider myself a leader. I’m just doing my job to the best of my ability,” Donna said. “It takes a team. I’ve got a wonderful team.”

She said one of the reasons The Resource Center receives such positive recognition is that TRC operates its own full-time, in-house wellness program, whereas many other companies contract with outside vendors to operate their wellness programs. Ultimately, Donna said, it’s TRC’s workforce that has made the STARS program so successful.

“A lot of the credit has to go to the people who have bought into this and are trying to make improvements in their lives,” she said.

Implemented several years ago, the STARS wellness program assesses each person along five key life dimensions: basic needs, physical health, mental wellness, family/social relationships, and employment. STARS participants enjoy the opportunity to meet with a certified health coach to develop and monitor a personalized wellness plan; discounts on their health care costs and wellness activities; and the ability to earn incentive points that can be redeemed for prizes.

Participation in the wellness program is voluntary. Many of the STARS activities, such as health coaching and the lunch-and-learn series, are open to all TRC employees, not just those who are enrolled in STARS. For 2019, Donna said the program will expand to allow all TRC employees to earn incentive points.