With wellness continuing to be a hot topic, organizations are looking for innovative ways to help their employees lead happier and healthier lives.

For example, how do we get our staff to be wiser or better food consumers? One such approach is the rise of Preferred Grocer Organizations (PGOs). Programs like Healthy Savings encourage employees to eat healthier by discounting the cost of quality food at participating groceries.

If you're familiar with Cartwheel by Target (a personal favorite), Healthy Savings works in the same way. "Each Sunday, your card is pre-loaded with $40-50 of new savings on the healthiest one-third of foods in a typical grocery store."  All you do is shop for the items on the list, scan your card at checkout, and the savings are applied.

Such a program appears to be a win-win for all involved. Since the program only applies to certain stores, groceries get increased, committed customers.  Employees will have an incentive to try and choose healthier food.  Employers will see long-term savings as employees opt for more nutritious items.

Is your organization ready to become part of a Preferred Grocer Organization?

Jennifer Benz, Founder & CEO of Benz Communications, brought the Transform HR Conference to a close with her session "3 Steps to Success: How Benefits Can Help Drive Your Strategic HR Transformation."

Health care costs are a significant part of compensation spending (20-30%).  They are a significant part of employee engagement.  Impact of lack of physical activity costs businesses $150 billion a year.  Compounding the problem is the lack of financial planning: 1 in 3 are not saving for retirement nor have more than $1,000 in savings.  75% of people look to the employer as a source of health information, and 89% of people want their employer to assist them with 401(k) planning.

Unfortunately, HR is often a barrier to assisting employees in both these efforts.  HR's job, Benz argues, should do the opposite.  So, how can HR do this?

First, "get the information online."  HR would typically say many employees are not online.  However, many employees with the growth of smart phones are closing this gap.   Most information is online already, why not health benefits, Benz notes.  The best and easiest way to get health info to employees is to put it online.   Further, employees want this information; 75% of Gen Y and 80% of Gen X are begging for this info.

Second, "get employees talking."  Communicating with people year around is key.  Social media is the perfect way to engage with employees and their dependents.  A micro blog, for example, can highlight conversations some people might be missing.  Web sites also need to be dynamic, Benz argues; unfortunately, most tend to be static.

Third, "work smart."  There are a ton of free resources that make it easy to communicate benefits information all year long.  Check out Benz's own site (http://www.benzcommunications.com/),  for example.  Text4Baby which promotes maternal and child health is another.

In sum, such an approach can transform HR.

I am the son of teachers. My dad was a professor of psychology for 35+ years at Michigan State University. My mom was a Grammy-award winning choir director who taught at all levels of education. Growing up, I never was deprived of much. As public sector employees, they earned a reasonable salary and received reasonable benefits. They were home when I went to school, and they were home when I returned. Plus, they had summers off (though dad often taught summer courses).

So, I am quite intrigued and dismayed by the recent action of the Wisconsin governor toward public sector employees, and, in particular, school teachers.

Some may think that public sector teachers are getting rich off taxpayers. But, let's look at what compensation public sector school teachers do and do not receive.

Unlike most private sector employees, there is no promotional ladder to climb that promises higher compensation and benefits. A human resources professional can go from a specialist to a generalist to a VP of HR. An AP History teacher in 1995 will still be an AP History teacher in 2005, 2015, and 2025 (if they are still teaching). There is no corner office one can strive to achieve. He or she cannot aspire to the Senior Executive VP of AP History.  At best, there will be negotiated salary increases from year to year.

Unlike some private sector employees, school teachers receive no double digit percentage raises for excellent performance. Kids score higher on the statewide test or on the ACT, the teacher is not going to be showered with incentives.

Unlike some private sector employees, school teachers receive no profit sharing when the school district does well.

Unlike some private sector employees, school teachers do not receive stock options that could blossom down the road. There is no IPO money available for the local high school.

Unlike some private sector employees, school teachers are not offered a 4-5 digit signing bonus to teach 4th grade science.

Unlike some private sector employees, school teachers do not receive significant perquisites at their workplace. My grandma's neighbor use to work at Stouffer's and her refrigerator was stocked with the latest food stuffs. Another friend worked for Chrysler and would get significant discounts on the latest automobile. School teachers don't get a discount on pens or erasers. There are no free Post-It Notes. Postal workers do not get stamps at a 40% discount.

Certainly, those who choose the teaching profession because they are passionate about what they do. They are not expecting an extravagant compensation package. However, a social contract developed over several decades that basically said please take care of our children, and we will provide you with quality health care and a strong defined benefit plan (which was a common benefit offering in the private sector as little as 30 years ago).

That social contract is in danger of being broken.

What is a school teacher really worth? Who will choose to teach your children as those rights earned over decades of negotiation are challenged and eroded?