Building a Thriving Workplace: Combining Mission and Wellness at Delta Dental of Iowa

_{Header caption: Delta Dental team members gather for the 15th Annual Healthiest State Walk in October 2024. Courtesy photo.}

Twenty years ago, casual Fridays, discounted gym memberships, free snacks and a ping pong table were some of the standard practices to recruit and retain employees. Today’s workplaces demand more — employees look for a company with a strong culture built around a lived mission and values that embrace the team’s overall well-being.

As a purpose-driven organization, Delta Dental of Iowa’s mission and values are more than just words painted on the walls. We live our mission every day to improve the health and smiles of the people we serve. Our team is committed to our values: One Team, Exceptional Quality Service, Embracing Change, Leadership at All Levels, Improving Lives and Bringing Smiles. Our mission and values influence our dynamic and engaged culture.

We spend as much time at work (if not more) as we do with our families, so our team must be aligned. We know our culture is compelling because we hear it directly from our teams. Our employees regularly cite the One Team value as a reason they enjoy their jobs here. I’m proud of this because it hasn’t happened by accident; our mission and values have been intentionally integrated into our conversations, activities and work.

Our approach to engagement is founded in our mission and values but also supported by our focus on overall employee wellness. We know we excel in retention, recruitment and employee satisfaction when we invest in our team. I see a direct connection between our company's success and our employees' satisfaction.

Data shows organizations investing in wholistic well-being:

• Increase worker productivity and motivation
• Experience greater camaraderie across teams
• Decrease stress and reduced absences
• Deliver better customer service and work outcomes

Career Health

Our values of Exceptional Quality Service, Leadership at All Levels and Embracing Change foster a culture of curiosity, offering solutions and focusing on the best experience for our customers. We’ve created a culture where the person with the title does not always have all the answers. Our team members are empowered to bring solutions.

How do you make a job into a career? We believe ongoing collaboration is key to demonstrating our commitment to our employees and their careers with Delta Dental. We provide opportunities for job shadowing, mentoring relationships and professional development. We invest in our teams through tuition reimbursement programs, meaningful performance discussions and supporting work-life balance. One Team Days

Our culture is built on collaboration, connectedness and being inclusive. We have a hybrid schedule which allows employees to work remotely a few days a week, providing them with the flexibility to work in the way that works best for them and our customers. Each month, Delta Dental hosts One Team Days where all employees are requested to be in the office. These One Team Days center around collaborative projects, all team celebrations and connecting.

Members of our Finance Team showed off their school pride during a One Team Day. Courtesy photo.

Make no mistake, we work hard at Delta Dental and embrace our value of Bring Smiles. We believe that encouraging camaraderie and employee engagement retains our great team.

Members of our Technology and Operations Teams dress up in our annual costume contest as The Incredibles. Courtesy photo.

Community Health

Taking care of others has always been part of who we are — because we understand we’re part of something greater than ourselves. As a not-for-profit insurance company, Delta Dental of Iowa and our Foundation have invested more than $3.5 million in 2024 in Iowa nonprofits focused on improving the oral and overall health of Iowans.

Many professionals want to work for a company with a purpose that supports local community needs and sustainability efforts. At Delta Dental, our value of Improving Lives extends to our employees through volunteer opportunities and corporate and employee giving. We encourage volunteering in our community, and team members receive eight paid hours per year to go out and do good.

We also invest in the education of our employees. One example of this is through education sessions with CultureALL. These activities help us to celebrate diversity and learn about other cultures together.

Delta Dental of Iowa volunteers with a community recipient during the Urbandale Uplift Project.

Physical Health

As a health and wellness company, Delta Dental knows the power of prevention. Our medical, dental and vision plans encourage preventive appointments, which can help our employees earn wellness discounts.

We encourage employees to use their benefits to stay healthy, not just when they have an illness-related healthcare need. Our physical health benefits also address wellness at work by offering sit-to-stand desks, outdoor walking trails and fresh fruit delivery.

Emotional Health

Emotional health challenges are not always visible on the surface. We invest in preventive mental health wellness and awareness resources to help employees overcome these challenges. We offer a robust employee assistance program (EAP) to help team members find resources for mental health counseling, stress management and more.

We support the Healthiest State’s Make It OK campaign, designed to reduce stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness. Employees experiencing changes at home are given time away from work to celebrate or grieve. For example, becoming a new parent, whether through adoption or birth, is a time we allow employees to be at home and focused on adjusting to new life changes.

Green is our favorite color for lots of reasons. We proudly wear green in May to support Mental Health Awareness Month and Make It OK. Courtesy photo.

Financial Health For our team’s financial health, we provide competitive base pay and benefits, 401(k) matching, short- and long-term disability programs, life insurance, legal insurance, health savings accounts and flexible spending programs. We’re committed to educating our team members about these programs. When employees understand their total financial picture, they can make better decisions for themselves and their families.

As you look at your employee wellness program, consider what could be added to build a more robust program that supports the wholistic well-being of your employees. Continue to evolve your offerings as employees’ needs change. Healthy employees are more engaged and motivated to excel at work. As a leader, I want our employees to enjoy themselves!

Whether in the office or out in the community ... at Delta Dental, we’re on a mission to improve the health and smiles of our team and our community.

Improving the Greater Des Moines (DSM) community through volunteering and community service is a priority for many. Thanks to community engagement opportunities and leadership connecting local businesses to causes that provide services to improve the region, DSM continues to be a place that provides support for those who live, work and play here.