Opportunity

With healthcare costs rising at an unsustainable rate, Whirlpool’s traditional cost-containment strategies were no longer effective. They determined that the best way to lower costs was by improving overall health, which would require a cultural shift within the organization.

Approach

To better understand their team’s unique needs and challenges, we met face-to-face with employees and listened to their personal stories. This revealed both common problems and unique challenges their employees faced, which helped shape our understanding of the situation. By blending these insights with behavioral science, we developed a strategy to nudge employees toward meaningful, achievable health improvements. Our straightforward communications built trust and helped employees understand the benefits of our wellness initiatives.

Result

• Kept health care costs flat for five years
• Established a culture of health

This project was originally completed by designvox, now part of Baas.

Building a foundation for culture change

We spent a year digging into Whirlpool’s data, distilling insights, and fostering leadership alignment. Any meaningful culture change starts at the top, and without leadership buy-in, even the best strategies won’t stick.

Building a brand that moves people

We developed a brand, voice, and communication style that met employees where they were—helping them envision a different future, desire it, and take action to get there. By making the “why” clear, we empowered real behavior change.