The culture of
Living Well ScottsMiracle-Gro’s LiveTotal Health program fosters an ethos of well-being. Denise Stump, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at ScottsMiracle-Gro, remembers the genesis of the company’s health and wellness program, LiveTotal Health. It all began with the goal of extinguishing a few cigarettes. During a meeting in 2005, she noticed that Chairman and CEO Jim Hagedorn was glancing out a window. Outside, several associates were smoking. “Jim watched for a minute, then turned and said, ‘Is there anything we can do about that?’ ” Stump recalls. “He posed the question within the context of whether we, as a company, could proactively put our associates on a path to better health.” As it happened, the conversation occurred at a time when ScottsMiracle-Gro was in the midst of “double-digit increases in health premiums,” Stump says. “Jim Hagedorn had the vision that if we could help associates focus on wellness and healthy lifestyles, they would benefit as well as the company.” Plans were hatched to form LiveTotal Health, which was launched the following year. The program integrates the elements of a traditional benefits package—medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage, plus a robust 401(k) plan and life insurance—with those that work to promote good living more broadly. “At its core, this is about helping people live a longer and better life,” Hagedorn says. “ScottsMiracle-Gro has been in the same small town for 150 years. What that means is we have a family culture here. I wanted to make sure our programs were designed with that in mind. I’m not just worried about the health of our associates while they work here; I want to make sure they have a long and healthy life after they retire. Is there an economic benefit to this program in terms of controlling health
150 years and growing Columbus Monthly MARCH 2014
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