United Cleanup Oak Ridge, LLC (UCOR) is the lead cleanup contractor for the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office. UCOR’s primary mission is to clean up contaminated facilities and soil on the Oak Ridge Reservation, which can then be reindustrialized. This type of environmental remediation is high-risk work, which requires a highly skilled workforce and a serious commitment to safety and health.
Since its inception in 2011, UCOR has made its commitment to the physical safety of its workers clear. According to their mission statement, UCOR employees and managers are held to a zero-injury philosophy based on the idea that all injuries are preventable. UCOR believes this strong safety culture is the foundation of their success.
As part of their commitment to safety, UCOR conducted an independent safety culture survey in 2022. The survey featured an open-ended question where employees were asked to provide feedback on UCOR’s behavioral health programming. The question garnered over 350 responses asking for more education, training, access to resources and a more focused effort on stigma reduction. As senior leadership reviewed the data, their path forward was clear.
“We were overwhelmed with how high the survey response rate was and so grateful for the transparent feedback provided by the workforce,” explained UCOR Sustainability & Compliance Manager Leah Beckworth. “At UCOR we highly value feedback so upon receiving results, we recognized the call to action our workforce had presented us with, and we were energized to step up to the plate!”
With leadership’s support, including endorsement from Kenneth Rueter, UCOR President and CEO and LHSFNA Management Trustee, Beckworth’s team got working on expanding their well-being program, Navigate.
“UCOR is deeply invested in both the physical and mental well-being of our workforce,” said Rueter. “That’s why we ask our employees directly what they need from us. As a result, our programs continue to evolve in response to worker feedback, best practices and new research.”
Navigate is UCOR’s comprehensive behavioral and mental health program to enhance the well-being of employees, their families and the community through education, engagement, resources, strategic partnerships and removing stigma around behavioral health. As behavioral health is a multifaceted issue, the program takes a multifaceted approach. Navigate includes several key components:
Beckworth and her team – which includes Mental and Behavioral Health Program Manager Dr. Jennifer McKelvey and Administrative Assistant Cassandra Kennedy – have been tasked with implementing and managing this program. When asked to share any obstacles her team faced, Beckworth noted that building trust among employees will always be a focus.
“Fostering trust is crucial for ensuring that employees feel comfortable speaking up and seeking support,” Beckworth said. “It’s important to us that we’re involving employees in decision-making processes as we build this program, making sure their opinions are represented in both the big picture items and small details.” She reports that hiring Kennedy – a tradeswoman and union member – to work on the Navigate team brought a valuable labor perspective.
Beckworth also emphasized how helpful partner organizations like the LHSFNA have been in the process of developing Navigate. Organizations like the LHSFNA, she explained, have provided a wealth of knowledge, expertise and connections that have helped shape the program into what it is today. The relationship with the LHSFNA, Beckworth said, exemplifies UCOR’s core value of organizational learning and her team has been grateful for the support.
“The health and well-being of workers should be an employer’s top priority, and I commend UCOR and any other organization that makes that commitment paramount,” said LHSFNA Management Co-Chairman David Rampone. “Workers are a company’s most valuable asset and treating them as such is the right thing to do.”
While not all organizations have access to the same resources as UCOR, there are still steps that can be taken to support employee well-being. The LHSFNA is here to help you figure out what these solutions might look like for your organization. For many, implementing EAPs can be a great option. These programs help address a variety of issues, including mental health, substance misuse, financial problems and stress management. Reach out to us for assistance.
[Hannah Sabitoni]
