At Labcorp’s Madison, Wisconsin, campus, growing fresh food has become a reason for employees to come together. Whether they’re planting seeds, harvesting lettuce, or sharing a recipe, employees are finding new ways to connect with their food, and each other!
The campus previously maintained a raised bed garden to support employee wellness and sustainability. Over time, productivity and participation declined. Labcorp saw an opportunity to bring new energy to the program with an approach that could keep employees growing and engaged throughout the year.
Working with Fork Farms, Labcorp installed a Flex Farm, bringing indoor hydroponic growing directly into the workplace.
A Fresh Start for Workplace Growing
Taking up less than 10 square feet and plugging into a standard electrical outlet, the Flex Farm gives Labcorp a way to grow fresh produce indoors without dedicating a large space to the program. Approximately 20 employees now participate each month in planting, maintaining and harvesting crops. Fresh produce is regularly shared with staff, giving employees the chance to enjoy what they helped grow. The Flex Farm also makes sustainability tangible. Employees can take part in the growing process, see the results, and bring fresh food home to their families.
Bringing People Together Around the Harvest
At Labcorp, the harvest has become a starting point for activities that connect food, wellness, and learning. For a campus-wide Earth Day celebration, employees enjoyed salads featuring produce harvested directly from the Flex Farm. The event brought workplace growing to the table, giving staff a chance to taste the results.
A DIY Chimichurri event paired freshly harvested parsley with a recipe employees could try at home. Regular lettuce harvests offer another opportunity to share, with produce available to employees on a first-come, first-served basis.
The program has welcomed employees’ families into the experience, too. During Take Your Child to Work Day, children planted seeds in the Flex Farm. When the lettuce was ready to be harvested, employees were invited to take it home, connecting a day of hands-on learning with a harvest their families could enjoy.
Growing a Stronger Workplace Community
What began as a fresh-food initiative has become part of Labcorp’s employee engagement efforts. The shared work of tending crops gives colleagues a reason to spend time together while contributing to the campus’s wellness and sustainability goals.
“The Flex Farm has had a meaningful impact on our employee experience by creating opportunities for people to connect, learn, and contribute to something tangible together. From harvesting fresh produce to participating in wellness activities, employees are building stronger relationships while supporting a sustainable initiative that aligns with our environmental and wellness goals.” — Ashley Weiser, Director, Environmental Health & Safety
Small Space With Year-Round Possibilities
With 288 plant sites and the capacity to grow 28 pounds of fresh produce per harvest, a Flex Farm can produce more than 300 pounds annually. Partners also receive expert growing support and access to Farmative, Fork Farms’ digital platform for growing resources, tools, and connections with fellow growers.
At Labcorp, that growing capacity supports something employees can participate in together, season after season. A small space has become a place to learn, share fresh food, and build connections across the workplace.
Interested in bringing fresh food production to your workplace? Connect with Fork Farms to explore what your team could grow.
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