Southeast #3: Leslie Daugherty

Leslie Daugherty is a 33-year-old HR Generalist with ORNL Federal Credit Union ($1.3 Billion) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Synopsis: The Opportunity: Let's face it -- today's economic climate has created an even tougher operating environment for credit unions. Sweeping legislation, new lending and marketing guidelines, and overall tighter operating budgets have trickle effects, especially for staff -- who are called to serve and protect our members better than ever because now is when they need us the most. From direct member service to support operations, team members are working harder than ever before. As we all try to strike that work and life balance, wellness can sometimes take a back seat. And when I mean wellness, I'm not talking necessarily about the number on the scale, how many miles logged per week, or even how much one can benchpress. It's about being aware of the small steps that can lead to big results and the empowerment to take control of personal wellbeing in the many areas that make us who we are -- a team committed to serving members at the level that they expect and deserve.

Human Resources management has pitched wellness for quite a while but in 2011, our formal wellness program, Live Well, was born. By building a culture of wellness that promotes taking a proactive role in attaining good health, the impact on ORNL Federal Credit Union – as well any credit union for that matter – is twofold: first, healthy employees mean better service delivery and focus on what we’re built on – our member owners. It’s pretty much like this: do you perform your best when you don’t feel your best? I didn’t think so. Second, healthy employees have fewer health claims, and as a self-insured credit union with the skyrocketing cost of healthcare, along with healthcare reform measures, this means big opportunities and even bigger cost savings. ROI on wellness isn’t typically seen for at least three years down the road but with the launch of Live Well, the opportunity lies before us. And as a member-owned financial cooperative, we have a responsibility to our members to operate efficiently, right?

Healthy employees equal healthy business and when it comes to investing in the heart of ORNL Federal Credit Union, I know that wellness is where it's at.

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