Johnson Memorial Health Services (JMHS) has been recognized by the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) with the 2026 Exceptional Minnesota Hospital Workplace Award, an honor recognizing hospitals and health systems that demonstrate a strong commitment to creating positive, supportive workplaces for their employees.
The award was formally presented during the Minnesota Hospital Association’s 2026 Annual Meeting in September.
The Exceptional Minnesota Hospital Workplace Award recognizes organizations for their efforts to enhance employee satisfaction and create an environment where employees can thrive. Organizations are evaluated on areas including employee retention strategies, demonstrated improvements in employee satisfaction and morale, the effectiveness of workplace initiatives, and employees’ experiences with improvements in their work environment.
“This recognition really belongs to our employees,” said Jake Redepenning, CEO of Johnson Memorial Health Services. “An exceptional workplace isn’t created by one program or one initiative. It comes from how our employees support each other, how we respond to feedback, how we work through challenges together, and how we continue looking for ways to make JMHS a great place to work and receive care.”
For JMHS, the recognition reflects an ongoing organizational focus on listening to employees, strengthening workplace culture, supporting professional growth, and creating an environment where employees feel valued and connected to the organization’s mission. Those efforts have resulted in measurable improvements. Employee satisfaction has remained above 80% for four consecutive survey cycles, reaching 87% in June 2026, while annual employee turnover declined to approximately 12.5%.
“Our employees are the reason JMHS is able to provide the level of care and service that our communities depend on,” Redepenning said. “We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition, but even more proud of the people behind it. Every department and every role contributes to the culture we have at JMHS.”
Kimberly Ochsendorf, Chief Human Resources Officer at JMHS, said the award is especially meaningful because building a strong workplace requires more than simply asking employees for feedback.
“Listening is only the first step,” Ochsendorf said. “What matters is what we do with that feedback. We have worked hard to be transparent with our employees, celebrate what is going well, acknowledge where we have opportunities to improve, and then take meaningful action. We continue to listen, measure our progress, and make adjustments along the way. This award is a reflection of the commitment our entire team makes every day to JMHS and to one another.”
The Minnesota Hospital Association announced its 2026 award recipients on September 21, recognizing individuals, teams, hospitals, and health systems for contributions to patients, communities, and health care throughout Minnesota.
For JMHS, the Exceptional Minnesota Hospital Workplace Award is both a celebration of the organization’s employees and an affirmation of the work being done to build a strong rural health care workforce for the future.