Getting fit and eating healthy are often New Year resolutions. While this is important to people on a personal level, it should also be important to companies as a whole. When your employees are healthy, they tend to be happier, work harder and are more productive. A culture of wellness leads to a culture of success. That's a win-win-win for the company, the employee and the customer, who directly benefit from the wellness and culture of the company.

Customers who come in to Ewing can often sense the culture of caring—about fellow Ewing employees, about Ewing customers and about the company. That culture stems from our employees, our wellness programs and the relationships we build at the counter and beyond.

“For our people, it’s not just a job,” said Cliff Woodbury, Ewing’s Sr. Vice President of Culture and Engagement. “There’s a connection with their coworkers, with their customers and with the company. We are a family-owned business. The people know the family, and the family knows the people. It’s like a family.”

As with any family, the health of the people is important. At Ewing, health and wellness are a cornerstone of our culture. For 12 years, our family of employees from across the country have come together for our signature wellness event—a marathon and half marathon in Phoenix, Ariz., in January.

While it’s a huge commitment, both at the individual level and for the company, it’s important to Ewing to support employees’ wellness goals. “The more accomplished and better people feel about themselves, the better impact that will have on work and service level at the counter and in the field,” said Woodbury.

It’s a weekend full of team building and camaraderie, with hundreds of employees celebrating their goals and sharing success stories.

“It’s fun to be out on the course with all of your coworkers,” said Mallory Graham, Ewing’s Customer Relations Manager, who has ran the half marathon with Team Ewing for several years. “It’s encouraging to see a familiar face when you’re running and to be able to cheer each other on as we start the New Year doing something positive for our health.”

Each year in addition to the marathon, Ewing promotes wellness and culture through company newsletters, an online employee wellness center and programs or challenges throughout the year. Monthly wellness programs include the 10,000 Steps a Day challenge, Get Outdoors Month for outside activities and Eat Better Eat Together to encourage healthy eating and cooking with family or friends. For these efforts, Ewing has been awarded the Valley’s Healthiest Employer Award, recognizing Phoenix-area companies for their outstanding efforts to cultivate a healthy workplace.

What does your company do to encourage wellness? Do you have a culture of wellness and success? Share your story in the comments below to encourage others to develop their own strategies and goals!