Emplify Health has earned a gold-level certification as a Family Friendly Workplace, recognizing the organization's strong commitment to employee well-being and life balance. The certification follows a comprehensive evaluation of workplace policies including flexible work options, parental leave, healthcare benefits, and family-centered support programs. As a certified employer, Emplify Health is now entitled to use the Family Friendly Workplaces logo in its talent attraction and retention efforts and gains access to additional program benefits.
"At Emplify Health, we recognize that supporting a healthy life balance is critical to our employees' well-being and long-term success," said Scott Rathgaber, MD, CEO of Emplify Health. "This certification reinforces our commitment to fostering a workplace where our team can thrive both professionally and personally. When our employees feel supported, our entire community is stronger."
The certification carries significant implications for Wisconsin's workforce landscape. Wisconsin's long-term workforce shortage threatens the state's economic vibrancy in the years ahead, with the workforce expected to shrink before stagnating from now through 2050. This human resources shortage requires strategic responses from employers across the state.
"Emplify Health is the latest employer to join this effort to address our workforce shortage," said Neil Kline, Executive Director of Family Friendly Workplaces. "They were quick to recognize the importance of strategically engaging with this challenge, and of securing Wisconsin's future economic vibrancy." Emplify Health is the largest employer to be certified as a Family Friendly Workplace, with 71 employers across Wisconsin now certified, covering over 24,000 employees and their families.
As part of the certification requirements, Emplify Health makes an annual conduit contribution to nonprofit organizations that support families. This year, they selected The Parenting Place in La Crosse and Encompass Early Education and Care in Green Bay. The certification was celebrated with simultaneous news conferences in both cities, with Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers attending the La Crosse event and Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich participating in the Green Bay ceremony.
"In our conversations, Emplify Health was quick to recognize that supporting families not only strengthens their organization — it's also simply the right thing to do," said Kline. The certification program represents a growing movement among Wisconsin employers to address workforce challenges through family-friendly policies. For more information about Family Friendly Workplaces and its certification program, visit https://familyfriendlyworkplaces.org.
The recognition comes at a time when healthcare organizations nationwide face staffing challenges and increased competition for qualified professionals. By implementing comprehensive family-friendly policies, Emplify Health positions itself as an employer of choice in a competitive market. The healthcare network employs 16,000 people across 11 hospitals and more than 100 clinic locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Upper Michigan, and Iowa, making its certification particularly significant for the regional healthcare workforce.
