February 3, 2017 | by Brittany Good | NRG Systems News, Vermont Community, Workplace Culture + Practices

RunningEach year, the Vermont Department of Health and the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness team up to honor a select number of organizations with the Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award. Thanks to its ongoing dedication to promoting health and wellness among employees, Renewable NRG Systems (RNRG) has been chosen to receive the prestigious accolade for the fourth time in six years. All recipients will be recognized on March 23 at the 2017 Worksite Wellness Conference in Burlington. Now in its tenth year, the conference brings together over 400 business leaders, human resources professionals, and wellness specialists from across the state to share ideas for encouraging employees to make healthy choices at work and beyond.

Kelli Crapo, RNRG’s Human Resources Generalist, says, “Winning the Worksite Wellness Award confirms that we are doing a good job and puts us in the upper echelon of companies in the state of Vermont.” While each organization has a unique approach to employee wellness, Crapo explains that RNRG’s view errs to the holistic side. “It is not just about working out,” she says. “It is also about your mind and your spirit, so we make sure to cover all of those bases.”

RNRG's marketing team takes a hike.

RNRG's marketing team takes a hike.

RNRG’s wellness program is led by NRGize—a team of RNRG employees who volunteer their time to organize events that are effective and engaging. Crapo, who is a member of the NRGize team says, “We are responsible for keeping things rolling. We meet the first Tuesday of every month and discuss what we are focused on, what we have accomplished, what we have in process, and what we are going to do in the future. We like to schedule events far enough in advance that employees can plan for them. We try to make it easy for as many RNRG employees as possible to participate in these initiatives.”

The committee, which is made up of members from a range of departments, including sales, engineering, and IT, plans its year based on the Eight Dimensions of Wellness: Emotional, Financial, Occupational, Intellectual, Physical, Spiritual, Environmental, and Social. To determine the efficacy of its initiatives, NRGize measures participation rates and collects employee feedback, adapting programming accordingly. Notable NRGize events include lunchtime meditation sessions, weekly yoga classes, a company bowling night, themed potlucks, and a mountain challenge that inspired employees to hike peaks in Vermont, Brazil, and beyond. RNRG employees also have 24-hour-a-day access to an on-site fitness room that includes a lap pool and various pieces of exercise equipment.

Software Engineer Mark Chaffee at RNRG's company bowling night.

Software Engineer Mark Chaffee at RNRG's company bowling night.

The NRGize team has already started planning for this year and is excited to kick off a 21-day fitness challenge in March. According to Crapo, “It takes 21 days to establish a habit and we want to get people committed to doing some sort of activity that will get their heartbeat up. Hopefully, once they get that rolling, that won’t stop. They will keep going.”

Brittany Good

As NRG’s Senior Marketing Specialist, Brittanywho has a background in journalism and digital marketingis responsible for making sure that the company’s voice is heard across all communication channels, including the website, email campaigns, videos, press releases, and print collateral. She enjoys the challenge of crafting intriguing content that strengthens NRG’s relationships with its customers while engaging new audiences.      

View more posts by Brittany Good