How Rock County Transformed Wellness & Culture with Confetti

Rock County Snapshot

Rock County, Wisconsin employs nearly 1,400 people across 29 departments, from public works to nursing care. At the center of employee wellness is Katie Meisenheimer, Human Resources Partner II. Half of her role focuses on recruiting, the other half on benefits and wellness. She oversees everything from new hire orientation to open enrollment to Rock County’s Healthy Employee Incentive Program (HEIP), which rewards employees with lower health insurance premiums for engaging in wellness activities.

“Wellness, recruiting, benefits, it's kind of in a nutshell what I do,” Katie explained. “And that's what led me to Confetti.”

The Challenge: Doing It All...Alone

Before Confetti, Rock County had a strong wellness program, including lunch and learns, quarterly challenges, and EAP programming. These offerings gave employees meaningful benefits, but coordinating everything fell squarely on Katie’s shoulders.

While she was committed to delivering meaningful wellness opportunities, her time and resources were stretched thin. Katie needed a partner who could bring fresh, engaging activities to employees without adding hours of work to her already full plate. 

“I was looking for something [because] I'm [the one] planning all of these events. I want to do more, but I don't have the time,” Katie said. “And so that's kind of how I stumbled into the path of Confetti.”

The Solution: Variety, Simplicity, and Engagement

Katie found Confetti the way many people find what they’re looking for…Google.

“I saw everything was prearranged for you. I'm like, we should really try this,” Katie said. “And honestly, I wish I would have found it sooner.” 

At first, Katie used Confetti mainly for wellness programming, but it quickly grew into something more. This year, their focus shifted to not only wellness, but also employee engagement, teamwork, and mental health.

“I call it like a full a la carte menu,” Katie said. “Any topic, anything you can imagine is there, you pick a date, and you book it. Super simple.”

By expanding beyond wellness, Katie could meet the unique needs of different teams. Confetti’s range of experiences—everything from terrarium building to chocolate tastings—allowed her to tailor programming to Rock County’s diverse workforce. 

And for employees, it brought a welcome sense of novelty. 

“We call [our city] Chainsville,” Katie joked. “We have every chain restaurant you can ever imagine. We're so cookie cutter, so this is very out of the box and very different for our population.”

The Impact: More Participation, More Joy, More Time Back

Slowly, the shift became more evident. Confetti experiences filled quickly, and Katie started receiving glowing feedback after nearly every event. Employees especially loved the experiences with kits, which added a sense of surprise and delight.

“Recently we did the bath bomb experience and a couple of employees did it with their kids,” Katie said. “They made it a point to reach out [after] and say they really enjoyed it. Who would think [an employee would want to] make a bath bomb at 7 p.m. on a Tuesday night?”

But change is not always easy. Some departments were a bit hesitant at first to come around.

For groups that were struggling with morale or connection, she started small—often beginning with managers—and then gradually brought in the broader subteam. A Jeoparty game designed for one struggling team turned skeptics into enthusiastic participants. 

By starting with leaders and then inviting the entire team into the experience, Katie has been able to use Confetti as a tool to rebuild team culture from the inside out.

“[We want to] create opportunities to have a better culture and team environment,” Katie said. “At first, the supervisor was like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do this.’ But [after,] they said it was great, super fun, and they were all very engaged.”

Leadership noticed the impact, too. In just one year, Rock County expanded its Confetti budget by almost 3.5x. That bigger investment allowed Katie to scale programming across the organization while also targeting smaller teams that needed extra support.

For Katie, the benefits go beyond employee engagement. Confetti has given her something even more valuable. 

“Yes, it’s an upfront investment, but it’s well worth it,” she said. “I’ve gotten a lot of time back in my day just from having these things prepackaged.”

Favorite Experiences

When asked to pick her favorite experiences, Katie hesitated. “It's kind of hard to pick a favorite,” she admitted. Still, a few stood out:

• ✨ Vision Boarding – One of Rock County’s very first Confetti experiences, which helped set the tone for how fun and easy the partnership would be.
• 🌱 Plant Care 101 & Terrarium Building – “My one terrarium is a year old and thriving, so I like to think that the plant care class helped me actually keep plants alive.”
• 🍫 Chocolate Tasting – Perfect for Rock County’s food service department.
• 🥗 Eating for Immunity – “Our host Robin was fantastic… so engaging and so knowledgeable.”

Katie also likes to align programming with the calendar. During Mental Health Awareness Month, she books wellness-focused events. When she saw that August 15th was National Relaxation Day, she scheduled a relaxation session. In September, which is Self-Improvement Month, she planned a weekly personal and professional development series. 

This seasonal rhythm ensures employees always have something new and relevant to look forward to all year long.

The Bigger Picture

For Katie, Confetti has become much more than a vendor. It’s a true culture partner that makes her job easier while enriching the employee experience across Rock County. What started as a way to lighten the load of wellness programming has evolved into a cornerstone of the county’s employee engagement strategy.

“If Confetti was a person at Rock County, they’re the cool kid in the office for sure,” Katie said with a smile. “Very modern vibe, very techie, very Gen Z.”

Katie also recognizes the broader organizational impact. Confetti supports Rock County’s mission to prioritize not only employee wellness, but also morale, retention, and mental health. 

“One could argue that mental health isn’t just mindfulness, it’s your total wellness,” Katie said. “You have to be happy at work, you have to get along with your team, you have to feel like you as an individual are developing and have opportunities to do so. All of those things play a part in your mental health.”

By expanding the scope of Confetti events beyond wellness, Katie has been able to address all of those dimensions. Employees now have more opportunities to connect, grow, and recharge, whether that’s through a mindfulness workshop, a chocolate tasting, or a professional development session. 

And for leadership, the investment is clear: stronger teams and a more engaged workforce.

“You have to be happy at work. You have to get along with your team. You have to feel like you as an individual are developing and have opportunities to do so,” Katie said. “And Confetti is a huge part in that.”