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Trihydro Receives Best Practices Honor From The American Psychological Association

(Laramie, Wyoming, March 8, 2006) – Trihydro was recently presented with a Best Practices Honor from the American Psychological Association (APA) in Washington, DC. The multidisciplinary engineering and environmental consulting firm was honored for its Operational and Service Excellence Program, a program that enhances employee growth and development, one component of a psychologically healthy workplace.

“A key factor to becoming an industry leader is attracting and retaining talented professionals. The award shows that Trihydro is committed to its employees’ well being and recognizes the importance of investing in our greatest asset the staff. Our efforts in this area give us an edge in a highly competitive job market” says Deby Forry, Esq., Trihydro’s Vice President of Risk Management and Chief Financial Officer.

Trihydro’s Operational and Service Excellence (OSE) program was developed in response to feedback from employee surveys administered as part of the company’s strategic planning process. The OSE program focuses on developing technical and leadership skills through training courses and a new employee orientation. The program also includes a Web site dedicated to health and safety education, including informational resources and quizzes on subjects like stress management, cold prevention, and workplace safety. Since the implementation of the OSE program, Trihydro posted the highest gross revenues in company history and increased staff by 11 percent. The staff increase was credited to the program’s value as a recruiting tool in a highly competitive market. The company’s safety ratings also fall far below industry averages.

“In today’s challenging business environment, some employers recognize that the key to success lies in their own workforce and understand the critical link between employee health and well-being and organizational performance,” says Russ Newman, PhD, JD, APA’s executive director for professional practice. “Trihydro’s OSE program is a testament to its commitment to the health and wellbeing of its employees.”

The Best Practices Honors is a national program developed by APA to recognize organizations for an innovative program or policy that fosters a psychologically healthy workplace. Nominees for this national honor were selected from a pool of previous state-level Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award winners and submitted for consideration by the psychological association of the state, province, or territory in which the company is located. This year, the APA recognized 10 companies with the Best Practices Honors.

Studies show that, among other benefits, psychologically healthy workplace practices can increase job retention and satisfaction as well as reduce stress. The American Institute of Stress estimates that workplace stress costs U.S. industry $300 billon per year in absenteeism, turnover, diminished productivity, and direct medical, legal, and insurance fees. According to an APA survey, two-thirds of men and women say work has a significant impact on their stress level, and as a result one in four has called in sick or missed work.

More information about the National PHWA winners and Best Practices Honorees is available at http://apahelpcenter.mediaroom.com. Companies interested in learning more about creating a psychologically healthy workplace or applying for an award in their state, province or territory, can visit www.phwa.org.

ABOUT AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION - The American Psychological Association (APA), located in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 155,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its 54 divisions and its affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science and profession, and as a means of promoting health, education, and human welfare.