Michelle Micalizzi, Artist
(All rights Reserved)
THIS WORK IS BEING AUCTIONED ON NOV 5, 2021
at the UWYC Annual Community Impact Fundraising Gala
100% of the proceeds from the auction of this piece will benefit the United Way of Yavapai County.
Thank you to WebPT & The Arizona Science Center Girls in STEAM for inspiring this work.
For the next two blogs and paintings we are focusing on WebPT’s core value Health And Wellness: Live Better.
Health and Wellness: Live Better
Rehab therapy is all about improving life, and so are we.
That is why we encourage our employees to make better choices for their minds, bodies and souls.
When I first walked into WebPT’s offices two things immediately struck me. First, this is a truly professional company that is solid on operational details and then second, this is a place where the people come first.
All one has to do is Google “benefits of worksite wellness” to grasp the overwhelming support, from both ROI and VOI (Value of Investment) perspectives, that worksite wellness is not only benevolent, it is definitively smart business. Depending on what study you read, properly designed worksite wellness programs lead to an ROI ranging from $1.50 to more than $3 per dollar invested over a timeframe of two to nine years.
As Heidi Jennanga gave me and Tyler Butler, of 11Eleven Consulting a tour; I paid very close attention to how WebPT’s space felt to me. The faces of the PEOPLE who work at WebPT are relaxed and smiling, there was friendly banter and laughter everywhere, as well as a clear sense of pride that cannot be missed.
Having previously worked in large corporations myself that included developing worksite health and wellness programs; I am very aware of how the environment of an office is laid out and how that environment affects the people working there both emotionally and physically. WebPT is not a fancy shiny work space, nor is it a polished cold corporate space. It is a warm, inviting environment that is obviously on fire with growth. As WebPT’s core values state, they are true to their boot strapped roots and keep their office surroundings humble yet effective.
During my visit, I quickly noticed that there were many people working from stand-up stations, which is ergonomically much better for your body. I also noted their inherent sense of humor as evidenced by the spaces set aside for quiet time in stand-up dog houses. Additionally, the leaderships’ spaces are not hidden and tucked away from the employee’s workspace. Leadership areas, more often than not, have large windows you can see into and are disbursed throughout the office space equitably. There are dogs sitting in the midst of jovial spirited work conversations. Dana’s desk is surrounded by back-to-school donations that are piled up as high as her stand up desk. As Heidi walks through the space she jokes with her fellow employees and speaks to them in a familial and friendly manner because she is genuinely engaged and invested in her staff. As we continue the tour, we unexpectedly bump into CEO Nancy Helms on the floor and she warmly welcomes us. Clearly camaraderie is alive and well here. This is a company that is truly practicing what they preach in regard to business, volunteerism, and wellness.
Unmistakably, WebPT has a fantastically supportive and spirited culture that they protect with each hire. At WebPT there is no question that they hire to cultivate this desired work culture and they have a commitment to helping people to live better through meaningful employment, health, and wellness.
FEARLESS INTERVIEW
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM DANA AND BRIAN ABOUT BEING FEARLESS?
1.Value People
Dana and Brian’s titles tell you a lot about what you need to know about WebPT. “Culture Captain” not “HR Generalist” and “VP of Employee Success & Administration” not “VP of HR.” WebPT is a company that is very clear that people are the cornerstone of their business. After all, rehab medicine is ALL about helping people. If this core belief did not trickle into their culture it would be remiss. The early leadership founders of WebPT knew right out of the gate that they had to hire to cultivate that belief and that everything they did including the creation of job titles and job descriptions must support that culture because without mindful people on every level this business would not exist.
2. Practice What You Preach
Rehab medicine is about pain management and sincerely helping humans to feel and be better. WebPT’s commitment to their staff is to help them not only experience joy and accomplishment at work and in their life generally, but also to avoid pain emotionally and physically so they are less likely themselves to need the services that they support. Over use syndromes, lack of work life balance, emotional distress due to living an uninspired, and stressed life are products of an unhealthy work environment. WebPT goes out of their way to make sure their employees are successful and pain free in every way.
3. Education is Key
Dana and Brian are wise to point out that health and wellness is not just a physical job, it is an inside job as well. Yes, exercise is key to wellness but so is nutrition, fiscal awareness, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and being part of a community that is much bigger than yourself.
Companies that are committed to worksite wellness programs help employees take responsibility for lifestyle choices by shifting their healthcare focus from treatment to prevention while providing education about hazards and opportunities for wellness. Successful programs enhance employee productivity, reduce absences and idleness, and attract and retain quality employees.
4. Inspire People to be Better
When people are inspired they are more productive – yes, this practice is smart business. However, most importantly, inspired people are happier and lead better quality lives and this is a deeply human benefit. It is not just about the hard numbers of ROI or intellectual numbers of the VOI. Ultimately, it is about being part of a deeply human solution that is much bigger than corporate success. We all strive for deep meaning and balance in our lives. Companies that help the humans who choose to dedicate their lives to a job, and then support those people in achieving this goal are heroes.
5. Be Self Aware
Dana and Brian described their path to fearlessness from their different perspectives in life as a young woman and an experienced man, yet they both said the very same thing. When we are fully aware of who we are at our core, we are able to have confidence in ourselves and faith in outcomes. When we have confidence, we are strong enough to do what must be done to achieve success and happiness whether it is walking away fearlessly from a bad fit or making a choice to move forward in a new direction. We know we are made of the right stuff. Knowing how we are wired, having life experience that proves our point, and having faith in the face of unknowns all lead to fearlessness.
Thank you so much Dana and Brian for all that you do for the three hundred employees at WebPT, for being the example of leadership that truly cares, and for taking time out for this interview! I look forward to seeing you again at The Art of Fearlessly Giving Back opening on May 18th at The Arizona Science Center from 6-9 PM.
ILLUSTRATIONS STORY
This piece represents mind, body and spirit. The swirls at the topic represent free thinking and dreaming. The heart has a double meaning of heart health and heart felt feelings toward all things in life. The body is standing up at a desk typing. The backbone is placed to be part of the arm – meaning that all effort takes backbone or courage. The block in the background could be a commercial building hosting rehab therapists or WebPTers the blocks in this case are windows or it may be a keyboard. The people walking at the bottom are exercising or they are walking together for good or both. Their activity makes them glow. The hands reaching in my work is always about aspiring or reaching to be your best, something better or more. The road is a path that we take when we choose a job that matters. In WebPT’s case the keyboard is a metaphor for progress and service.
Work was shown at the The Art of Fearlessly Giving Back I – Web PT opening on May 18, 2018 at The Arizona Science Center.
Thank you to the 2018 Fearless Partners:
11Eleven Consulting | The AZ Consortium for the Arts|Charity Charms | Bob Diercksmeier of RJD Creative
Entrepreneurs and inspiring stories of all kinds are artist Michelle Micalizzi’s muse and focus. As an artist, a business woman and a visual journalist Micalizzi paints with a purpose. The Fearless Art Projects are collaborative social practice art engagements that connect art + business + community.
The ART OF FEARLESSLY GIVING BACK (AoFGB) is a community awareness series that focuses on the mission of select charitable organizations and the social responsible companies and philanthropic individuals that support them.
NOTE: The Fearlessly Deliver Blog is a legacy Blog. New work can me found at MichelleMicalizzi.com in 2022.