HEALTHY WORKPLACE SPEECH
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, SEPTEMBER 2007
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THANK YOU, ON BEHALF OF THE MORE THAN 7,OOO
EMPLOYEES OF DELTA HOTELS FOR INVITING US HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE
PREMIER’S AWARD FOR A HEALTHY WORKPLACE.
MORE AND MORE ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS CANADA, BOTH FOR AND NOT FOR PROFIT
ARE REALIZING BOTH THE NEED TO DEVELOP AND SUPPORT A HEALTHY WORKPLACE
AND THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT CAN RESULT FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN
THE ENTERPRISE. SUFFICE IT TO SAY, ‘IT’S NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL’ ANYMORE.
AT DELTA HOTELS WE HAVE LONG REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING AND
MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WORKPLACE. IT’S TRULY HAS BECOME A CORNERSTONE OF
OUR CULTURE.
AS A RECEPIENT OF THE NATIONAL QUALITY
INSTITUTE’S ‘HEALTHY WORKPLACE AWARD’ IN 2004 WE CONTINUE TO SEEK TO
CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE OUR HEALTHY WORKPLACE AND THE BENEFITS HAVE BEEN
SIGNIFICANT.
COSIDER THE FOLLOWING IN A VERY
LABOUR INTENSIVE INDUSTRY:

LAST TWO YEARS A 56% REDUCTION IN ACCIDENTS. MORE THAN HALF OF OUR
HOTELS TO DATE, HAVE BEEN ACCIDENT FREE IN 2007.

SEVEN YEARS LISTING IN THE GLOBE & MAILS’ REPORT ON BUSINESS “50 BEST
EMPLOYERS IN CANADA” SURVEY

INCREASE IN BOTH OUR ESAT AND GSAT SCORES WITH EMPLOYEE
SATISFACTION IN THE UPPER 80% RANGE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN
THE 88% RANGE.
IN A COMPANY WHERE THE ‘BRAND’ IS OUR ‘PEOPLE’ THESE ARE IMPORTANT METRICS
TO CONSIDER!
WE’VE ALSO SEEN THAT A HEALTHY WORKPLACE HAS:

ENABLED US TO MAINTAIN OUR ANNUAL BENEFIT PLAN COST INCREASES AT
10% OR BELOW IN AN ERA WHEN MOST COMPANIES ARE SEEING INCREASES
OF 15 – 30% ANNUALLY

MAINTAINING A LOW TURNOVER RATE RELATIVE TO OUR INDUSTRY. WE
REGULARLY SEE ANNUAL TURNOVER OF APPROXIMATELY 20% WHEN MOST
HOTEL COMPANIES SEE A TURNOVER RATE OF 35 – 65 % ANNUALLY.

BETTER TALENT ATTRACTION RATES THAN INDUSTRY AVERAGE. CURRENTLY
WE RECEIVE MORE THAN 8,000 RESUMES TO OUR COMPANY WEBISTE CAREER
PORTAL EACH MONTH. OUR WORKPLACE CULTURE HAS ENABLED US TO
BECOME A TALENT MAGNET – ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING THE TALENT
SHORTAGE.
I COULD GO ON, BUT I THINK THE BUSINESS CASE IS CLEAR – A HEALTHY WORKPLACE
IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS, GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY, AND GOOD FOR OUR COUNTRY!
OUR APPROACH AT DELTA HOTELS IS AN
INTEGRATED BROAD BASED ONE, FOCUSING ON NOT ONLY ACCIDENTS AND SAFETY,
BUT ALSO ON OUR BENEFITS AS WELL AS HEALTH & WELLNESS STRATEGIES.
ALL OF OUR HOTELS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THEY HAVE A HEALTH &
WELLNESS COMMITTEE IN PLACE WHO TAKE A LARGE PARTNERSHIP, ALONG WITH
THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, IN THE GUIDEANCE AND DEPLOYMENT OF WELLNESS THE
HOTEL.
MANY OF THEIR INITIATIVES WILL BE FAMILIAR TO YOU INCLUDING:

TRACKING AND TRENDING ACCIDENT STATS

DETERMINE ROOT CAUSES AND IDENTIFYING SAFETY ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

COMMUNICATING SAFETY TIPS REGULARLY TO WORK GROUPS WITHIN THE
HOTEL
HOWEVER WE SEE A MORE EXPANDED VIEW OF
WELLNESS AT DELTA AND THAT’S WHY WE ALSO FOCUS ON OTHER KEY INITIATIVES
SUCH AS:

A CULTURE OF STRONG EMPOWERMENT WHERE EMPLOYEES HAVE “The Power
to Please”:
o
STRONG INPUT INTO DECISIONS WHICH WILL AFFECT.
(IE. PROBLEM
SOLVING TEAMS)
o
ABILITY TO MAKE IT RIGHT FOR THE CUSTOMER WITHOUT HAVING TO
ASK PERMISSION FROM THEIR MANAGER
o
LEADERSHIP WHICH IS VISIBLE, APPRAOCHABLE AND INFORMAL.
STRONG EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THIS IS A KEY EVP.
OUR GOAL AT DELTA IS TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE, HEALTHY WORKPLACE IN WHICH
EMPLOYEES FEEL EMPOWERED TO HELP MANAGE OUR BUSINESS.
TODAY WE HERE HOW
EMPLOYEES ARE FEELING MORE STRESSED, MORE
DISENGAGED AND DISCONNECTED AS EXPECTATIONS AND
ASPIRATIONS OF THESE EMPLOYEES SHIFT AND ARE NOT BEING MET. THIS IN TURN IS
LEADING TO INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES RESULTING IN HIGH TURNOVER,
INCREASED ABSEETEESM, LOWER PRODUCTIVITY, INCREASED HEALTH CARE
COSTS WHICH EVENTUALLY BECOME A DRAG ON OUR ECONOMY.
AT DELTA OUR GOAL IS TO ENABLE EMPLOYEES AND GROW THEIR RESILIENCE IN THIS
NEW WORLD OF WORK. THIS WAS A KEY FACTOR IN WINNING THE N.Q.I. HEALTHY
WORKPLACE AWARD IN 2004.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED A CULTURE OF
EMPOWERMENT WHICH REVERSES CURRENT
WORKPLACE TRENDS OF BURNOUT AND
DISENGAGEMENT. WE’VE
PROVEN THAT WITH A CULTURE THAT EMBRACES A
HEALTHY
WORKPLACE A DIFFERENT STORY CAN UNFOLD.
OTHER STRATEGIES INCLUDE:

A PRO-ACTIVE APPROACH TO WELLNESS WHICH ENABLE EMPLOYEES TO
RECOGNIZE, RESPOND AND RENEW WITH SUCH ACTIVITIES AS:
o
HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIRS (IE Heart & Stroke, Fire Department – Smoke
Detectors)
o
LUNCH N’ LEARNS (IE – Street Safe, Nutrition)
o
WEIGHT LOSS – WEIGHT WATCHERS AND HOTEL BIGGEST LOOSER
PROGRAMS

Delta Beausejour, 30 employees lost 465 lbs. in 10 weeks – a 7.8%
improvement!

Program based on weigh-ins, quizzes based on Canada’s Guide to
Healthy Eating and Physical Activity


Prizes for one year health club membership awarded
CELEBRATE recognition program features a Health & Wellness Component with
recipients receiving Delta Dollars

EAP for all employees which offers nutritional, legal and health counseling including
access to nurse information/assistance 24/7, with the key of reducing stress

Delta Hotel’s Annual Softball Tournament

Hotel Monthly Functions such as:
o
Holiday Parties
o
Summer Events
o
Mother’s and Father’s Day Lunch
o
Bring your friend/child to work days
o
Spring Fling…..and many more

Regular Townhall meetings to keep everyone informed on the business

‘Delta Cares’ – participation in community ambassador events

Ethnic ‘theme’ days in staff dining promoting diversity in the workplace and better
understanding of others’ cultures.

Direct Line Committees and one on one chats with leader of hotel – Mingle with Michael,
Java with Joe, Tea with Tom

EE Svc Gtd – annual reviews or a weeks pay
THE LIST OF POSSIBILITIES IS LIMITLESS. IT’S A
PARDIGM SHIFT, BUT ONCE YOU GET STARTED
IT BECOMES LESS DAUNTING!
FINALLY I MUST SAY IT’S GREAT NEWS TO SEE
HEALTHY WORKPLACES BEING RECOGNIZED AS A DEFINING FEATURE OF WHAT
MAKES A GREAT COMPANY IN ALBERTA. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNING
COMPANIES. THE CHALLENGE NOW WILL BE FOR YOU TO SUSTAIN YOUR MOMENTUM
OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.