Altru Health System earns Certified Blue Zones Worksite status, becoming the first organization in North Dakota to secure this nationally recognized designation by implementing evidence-based improvements to workplace culture, policies and environments that make healthy choices easier for employees, visitors and patients alike.

The Certified Blue Zones Worksite certification draws on decades of community health research from the Blue Zones Project, which focuses on helping organizations create environments that support longer, healthier lives using proven principles that encourage movement, nutrition, purpose, and social connection throughout the workday.

Understanding the Certified Blue Zones Worksite Designation

The Certified Blue Zones Worksite designation is grounded in decades of global longevity research. The Blue Zones Project was inspired by regions around the world—such as Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), and Nicoya (Costa Rica)—where people live significantly longer, healthier lives. Researchers identified common lifestyle and environmental patterns that support longevity, distilled into the well-known Power 9® principles.

Rather than relying on willpower-driven wellness initiatives, the Blue Zones framework focuses on environmental design—changing systems, policies, and surroundings so that healthy behaviors happen naturally throughout the day.

To earn certification, organizations must demonstrate measurable, sustainable changes across several core areas, including:

• Leadership commitment to well-being

• Workplace policies and benefits aligned with health outcomes

• Food environments that promote nutritious choices

• Opportunities for natural movement

• Spaces for rest, reflection, and stress reduction

• Purpose-driven culture and social connection

Certification is not awarded for one-time programs. It requires deep structural change, cultural adoption, and documented outcomes.

A Multi-Year Transformation at Altru Health System

For Altru Health System, the journey toward certification was comprehensive and intentional. Leaders recognized early that improving employee well-being required more than isolated initiatives—it demanded a holistic redesign of the workplace experience.

Healthcare workers face elevated levels of stress, burnout, and physical strain. Long shifts, emotional labor, and high-stakes decision-making can take a significant toll on mental and physical health. Altru’s leadership understood that to sustain high-quality patient care, they first needed to create an environment where employees could thrive.

The result was a multi-year effort to embed Blue Zones principles into daily work life—touching food services, physical spaces, leadership development, and employee engagement strategies.

What Certification Means for Altru Employees

At its core, Blue Zones certification is about making the healthy choice the easy choice. At Altru, this philosophy translated into tangible, everyday improvements that employees experience throughout their workday.

Rather than asking employees to “do more” for their health, the organization redesigned systems so healthier behaviors became automatic.

Key changes included:

• Healthier food becoming the default option in cafeterias and meetings

• Walking routes integrated into campus design

• Quiet spaces available for decompression and reflection

• Leadership modeling well-being behaviors

• Social connections encouraged through group activities

These changes reduced friction around healthy habits, helping employees incorporate movement, better nutrition, and stress management naturally into their routines.

Measurable Outcomes: Healthier Employees, Stronger Organization

One of the most compelling aspects of Altru’s Blue Zones journey is the measurable impact it delivered—not only on employee health, but also on organizational performance.

Over the course of the initiative, Altru reported:

• A 26.4% reduction in healthcare costs, demonstrating that preventive, environment-based health strategies can yield significant financial benefits

• High levels of employee engagement, with hundreds participating in walking groups, wellness events, and purpose workshops

• Strong leadership involvement, with managers completing well-being training and actively supporting team health initiatives

These outcomes reinforce a growing body of evidence showing that workplace well-being is not a “soft” initiative, but a strategic investment with clear returns.

Reduced healthcare costs, lower burnout risk, and higher engagement contribute directly to workforce stability, productivity, and patient care quality.

Key Initiatives That Enabled Certification

To meet the rigorous Blue Zones certification criteria, Altru implemented a series of targeted, interconnected initiatives designed to reshape the work environment at every level.

Reimagining Food Environments

Nutrition plays a central role in long-term health, and Altru addressed this by redesigning its food offerings. On-site food services were adjusted to prioritize:

• Plant-forward meals

• Nutrient-dense options

• Smaller portion sizes

• Clear labeling to guide healthier choices

By making nutritious food more visible, accessible, and appealing, employees were nudged toward better eating habits without feeling restricted.

Encouraging Natural Movement

Rather than promoting structured exercise programs alone, Altru focused on natural movement, one of the core Blue Zones principles.

This included:

• Adding signage for indoor and outdoor walking routes

• Encouraging walking meetings when appropriate

• Creating environments that support movement throughout the day

These changes helped employees incorporate physical activity organically, even during busy shifts.

Creating Downshift and De-Stress Spaces

Healthcare work can be emotionally and mentally demanding. Recognizing this, Altru established dedicated spaces where employees can:

• Pause and decompress

• Practice mindfulness or prayer

• Regain emotional balance during stressful moments

These spaces send a powerful message that rest and mental health are valued, not stigmatized.

Purpose and Well-Being Assessments

Employees were encouraged to participate in well-being assessments and purpose-driven workshops designed to help them reflect on what motivates them and how their work aligns with personal values.

Research consistently shows that having a sense of purpose is linked to longer life expectancy, reduced stress, and higher engagement—particularly important in mission-driven fields like healthcare.

Leadership’s Role in Cultural Change

A defining feature of Altru’s success was visible leadership commitment. Executives and managers did not simply endorse the initiative—they actively participated in it.

Leadership well-being workshops helped managers:

• Understand the link between employee health and performance

• Model healthy behaviors

• Create psychologically safe, supportive team environments

Meghan Compton, Altru’s Chief Administrative Officer, emphasized that the certification reflects the dedication of employees who bring compassion, resilience, and professionalism to their work every day.

By embedding well-being into leadership expectations, Altru ensured that changes were not temporary but woven into the organization’s long-term culture.

Recognition From the Blue Zones Project

Blue Zones Project CEO Ben Leedle highlighted the significance of Altru’s achievement, particularly within the healthcare sector.

Healthcare organizations face some of the highest burnout rates nationwide, making Altru’s success especially meaningful. According to Blue Zones leadership, the certification positions Altru not only to sustain its progress but to serve as an example for other healthcare employers seeking evidence-based solutions to workforce challenges.

Why Blue Zones Certification Matters in Today’s Workplace

Workplace well-being has evolved from a “nice-to-have” perk into a strategic imperative. Organizations across industries are grappling with:

• High turnover and talent shortages

• Rising healthcare and insurance costs

• Employee burnout and disengagement

The Blue Zones model demonstrates that meaningful improvement does not come from isolated wellness campaigns, but from systemic, environmental change.

By earning certification, Altru has shown that:

• Healthier workplaces reduce preventable health risks

• Environmental design supports sustained behavior change

• Employee well-being and organizational performance are deeply connected

This recognition places Altru among a growing group of forward-thinking employers that view workforce health as foundational to long-term success.

The Broader Impact of the Blue Zones Project

The Blue Zones Project extends far beyond individual organizations. Its mission is to bring longevity principles into communities, schools, and workplaces, creating environments where healthier choices are the default.

Certification programs encourage employers to move away from short-term wellness incentives and instead invest in lasting changes that shape daily behavior.

As employers compete for talent and seek to build resilient organizations, the Blue Zones approach offers a research-backed roadmap for sustainable well-being.

What’s Next for Altru Health System

With Certified Blue Zones Worksite status achieved, Altru Health System is not standing still. The organization plans to:

• Continue tracking key health and engagement metrics

• Expand well-being initiatives based on employee feedback

• Share best practices with other employers and healthcare systems

• Deepen integration of well-being into operations and strategy

Altru’s journey illustrates how healthcare organizations can lead by example—promoting health not only in exam rooms and clinics, but within their own walls.

A Model for the Future of Workplace Well-Being

Altru Health System’s achievement sends a clear message: sustainable workplace well-being is possible, measurable, and transformative when approached with intention and evidence-based design.

By earning Certified Blue Zones Worksite status, Altru has redefined what it means to support employees in healthcare—creating a culture where well-being is built into the environment, leadership, and daily experience.

As more organizations search for solutions to burnout, rising costs, and workforce instability, Altru’s example demonstrates that investing in people is not just the right thing to do—it is a powerful driver of resilience, performance, and long-term success.

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