The Culture of Living Well

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

care costs? of course. that’s oK. but what’s more important is that this program is giving our associates better control over their health. It’s helping them make choices that improve their overall quality of life.”

the three pillars of livetotal health are physical health, financial health and personal health. beyond benefits, examples of program elements include experts who are available to coach associates on subjects ranging from work-life balance and divorce to debt and taxes, while physical activity and healthy eating are promoted through educational initiatives. Also offered are adoption assistance, investment education and help to quit tobacco products.

“It’s a holistic and comprehensive approach to wellness,” says mike lukemire, President and Coo. “livetotal health provides our associates and their families with the resources and support to thrive, whether it’s through healthy lifestyles, financial peace of mind or opportunities to give back.” In addition to corralling costs, the habits cultivated in livetotal health contribute to an all-around culture of well-being.

“health and wellness are top of mind,” stump says. “It manifests itself in events and activities throughout the year and in the many stories of inspiration that our associates share with us and their colleagues.”

scottsmiracle-Gro reports that more than 92 percent of its associates take part in health screenings, while thousands of associates have participated in health coaching over the years. And tobacco use? the results are staggering: It has plummeted from 28 percent to 6 percent among its associates since 2006.

A spirit of competition compels associates to continuously improve their health results: Wellness incentives, in which associates’ share of insurance costs are reduced, can be attained with a positive health screening.

“The decision to get involved with Fitness Services at Scotts was one of the best I’ve made. Through personal training, I learned that working out should be fun, not punishment. My trainer was an inspiration; because of her encouragement, I stepped out of my comfort zone and began participating in different group classes. Now I have more fun, am more motivated and have more confidence!” —Heather Sheeley, Senior Specialist, Payroll

“I used to be 5 feet, 9 inches tall and about 255 pounds. I got with one of the Scotts personal trainers and a dietitian, changed my eating habits and focused on being more active. I lost about 50 pounds the first year; I’ve lost a total of 80 pounds. My entire family has taken on healthy changes. We eat more lean meats, vegetables and grains and prepare our meals for the week.” —Justin Farmer, Maintenance

Planner/Scheduler, Marysville Plant

1974 The nearly 70,000-square-foot Dwight G. Scott Research Center opens. It houses research offices, labs, a library and more, with more than 110 acres of research plots surrounding it.

“When I started working here, I decided it’s time to take action on my Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. I was excited to see there was a nutritionist available who could help me learn a better way to eat. Having a thyroid disease, it can be extremely difficult to lose weight, and it makes me tired. But with the help of the nutritionist and fitness programs, I lost 35 pounds that I thought I would never be able to lose. I’m so thankful for everything Scotts offers us.” —Ashley Doehring, Analyst, Orders to Cash For those who are part of scottsmiracle-Gro, the program also encourages productivity.

“When associates feel happy and fulfilled in their personal lives, they often are more productive in their work lives,” Lukemire says. “the personal life impacts the work life, and Livetotal Health transcends both.”

the mantra is embraced not only by those in the workforce, but also those at the top.

“Leaders need to walk the talk,” he says. “it’s critically important that we participate in Livetotal Health events and espouse ideals related to heathy lifestyles, financial wellness and community involvement.”

to that end, Friday afternoon 5Ks are common, as are weekly “Walks with Luke” when Lukemire leads 30-minute walks at the marysville headquarters. scottsmiracle-Gro associates aren’t afraid to embrace a competitive spirit, either; they recently completed a companywide step challenge using an app that logged steps over a month-long period. Lukemire was among the leaders to participate.

“in some ways, this is symbolic: it sends a message that daily activity is important, and we are in this together,” Lukemire observes.

AmericAn HeArt AssociAtion PArtnersHiP

Physicians emphasize heart health—and so does ScottsMiracleGro. For the last 10 years, Scotts has been a major supporter of the American Heart Association. It has been a top fundraiser in Central Ohio through participation in the Heart Walk, serving as a founding supporter of the Teaching Garden program and by joining in Go Red for Women.

But consistent with the ground-up philosophy behind LiveTotal Health, much of the support for the Heart Walk comes from associates. “Our associates not only participate in the Heart Walk itself, but also in many health, wellness and fundraising initiatives leading up to it,” says President and COO Mike Lukemire. “These include 5Ks, car washes and golf contests. The micro-level effort has a macro-level impact.”

The American Heart Association honored the company with the 2017 Corporate Leadership Award, noting: “Scotts has been an amazing partner in mission by consistently increasing employee Heart Walk participation and fundraising goals, by providing strong leadership and by creating an executiveled company culture of health.”

other organizations have taken notice. scottsmiracle-Gro has been named a FitFriendly company by the American Heart Association and a Healthy ohio Breastfeeding Friendly employer by the ohio Department of Health.

“We are a large company with a small-company feel, where there is a sense of family and community,” stump says. “there is a collegial feel around Livetotal Health.” m

1977 Scotts breaks into the Canadian market through a partnership with Home Hardware. 1982 For the first time in more than 100 years, Scotts houses all of its administrative departments in a single facility in Marysville.