December 20, 2024 — Meals on Wheels America has been recognized as a Culture Innovator in the 2024 Best Culture Awards presented by Kudos, a leading employee recognition, rewards and corporate culture platform provider. This marks the third consecutive year the organization has been recognized for its commitment to creating an outstanding workplace culture.
The Culture Innovator Award is awarded to organizations that have demonstrated excellence in building and sustaining exceptional workplace culture. These include strategies that improve employee engagement and drive exceptional results from culture initiatives and programs.
“We have an ambitious vision of a country in which all seniors live nourished lives with independence and dignity and that requires a healthy workplace culture that empowers and engages our staff,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “As such, it’s important that we have an inviting and supportive work environment, one in which our staff feels valued and recognized, so they can bring their full selves to work to contribute meaningfully to our vital cause.”
To that end, the organization has:
Reimagined and relaunched its cultural values – Meals on Wheels America C.A.R.E.S. – which stands for collaboration, accountability, respect, empowerment and service.
Continuously tracked employee engagement using a third-party vendor that allows for benchmarking against hundreds of non-profits and high-performing organizations.
Established a hybrid-flexible workplace that honors staff preference and empowers its leaders and teams to schedule in-office days that maximize collaboration, team building, and moving strategies forward.
Prioritized mental health by enhancing its Employee Assistance Program and continuing Life Balance Days in addition to paid time off when the entire organization takes a break from collaborating and meetings so that employees can use this time to rest, reset, or focus on individual work.
Fostered a genuine culture of belonging with support from staff-led committees designed to incorporate social activities and employee recognition, as well as embed race equity, diversity and inclusion into all it does.
“Our Best Culture Awards aim to highlight the importance of culture, and its pivotal role in organizational success," said Muni Boga, CEO of Kudos. "This year's winners set a remarkable standard for others to follow. Each has uniquely contributed to enhancing their workplace culture, demonstrating that employee recognition goes a long way in fostering employee engagement and organizational performance. Congratulations on this remarkable accomplishment!”
About Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
About Kudos
Kudos is an employee engagement, culture and analytics platform that harnesses the power of peer-to-peer recognition, values reinforcement and open communication to help organizations boost employee engagement, reduce turnover, improve culture, and drive productivity and performance. Kudos uses unique proprietary methodologies to deliver essential people analytics on culture, performance, equity, and inclusion, which provide organizations with deep insights and a clear understanding of their workforce. Based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the Kudos platform is used in over 80 countries on six continents in a wide variety of industries and languages.
Press Contact:
Jenny Young
Meals on Wheels America
571-339-1603
jenny@mealsonwheelsamerica.org