Overview
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What is a healthy workplace?
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Comprehensive workplace health
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Putting it into practice
2

Healthy workplace defined
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A healthy workplace integrates the following three elements to achieve optimal health of its people and its business:
– Health and lifestyle practices (availability of resources and support of employees’ efforts to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle practices)
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Organizational culture (attitudes, values and beliefs demonstrated in the workplace on a daily basis that impact the well-being of employees)
–
Physical work environment
Source: The definition of a healthy workplace is consistent with models promoted by Health Canada, the National Quality Institute, the Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition, and the Forum on the
Advancement of Healthy Workplaces

Why is a healthy workplace important?
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16 million adult Canadians spend half of their waking hours at work — the environments in which people live, learn, work and play have a significant impact on health (Public Health Agency of Canada)
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Healthy employees have higher morale, are more productive, and report higher levels of job satisfaction
(Public Health Agency of Canada)
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Absenteeism costs are in excess of 15 billion dollars a year in Canada (Buffet Taylor Report 2003)

Benefits to employees
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Improved fitness, health, and lifestyle
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Improved work/life balance
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Improved morale and engagement
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Improved team spirit and job satisfaction
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Reduced stress and incidences of injury
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Enhanced relationships with co-workers
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

Benefits within the workplace
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Reduced absenteeism and turnover
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Reduced benefits claims
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Enhanced recruitment and retention
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Enhanced reputation
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

The evidence: benefits within the workplace
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Healthier employees:
– In the first six months of Toronto’s “Metro Fit” program, municipal employees saw marked improvements in their health and resilience and reported 3.5 fewer sick days
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MDS Nordion employees enjoyed similar health benefits and were sick less often than in previous years (fewer than 4 days per year compared with the Canadian average of 7.4 days per year)
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Continuity in the workplace:
– BC Hydro employees enrolled in the fitness program had a turnover rate of 3.5% compared to the company average of 10.3%

The evidence: benefits to employees
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Increasing physical activity to at least 30 minutes per day at least 5 days per week lowers the risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and colon cancer by
30 – 50%
(National Association of Physical Activity and Health)
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Within 48 hours of stopping smoking, chances of having a heart attack start to decrease
– within 1 year, risk of suffering a smoking-related heart attack is cut in half
– within 10 years, risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half
– Within 15 years, the risk of dying from a heart attack is equal to a person who never smoked (Health Canada)

The evidence: benefits to employees (cont’d)
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Workplace stair-climbing interventions: Climbing two flights of stairs per day can lead to a 2.7 kg (5.9 lbs) weight loss over one year
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Six flights a day can lead to an 8.2 kg (18 lbs) weight loss over one year
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

Comprehensive workplace health
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Effective workplace health programs are comprehensive in nature and scope:
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Planned using relevant data such as a survey or needs assessment
– Participation from all levels of the institution
– Addresses employee health
– Addresses the broader work environment and culture
– Evaluated and adapted to meet changing nature of work force and needs of employees
Source: Conference Board of Canada

We can all play a role
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Leadership commitment
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Support by managers and supervisors of committee members
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Inclusive committee — diverse group of members from all across campus
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Departmental workplace champions
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Lead by example
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Encourage co-workers and colleagues to participate

Current healthy workplace practices at CU
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Employee and Family Assistance Program
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Membership to Athletics
• Comprehensive benefits plan
• Learning and development program
• Career development fund for professional growth
• On-site Health and Counselling Services
• Paid leave during annual Christmas holiday shutdown
• Free tuition for employees, their dependents and spouses

Current healthy workplace practices at CU
(cont’d)
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Maternity leave with 95% salary top up and parental leave
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Special leave opportunities (medical/dental/legal appointments; personal or self-funded leave plans; and more)
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Recognition initiatives with annual Employee Appreciation
Day, and awards program
• Guaranteed housing loan up to $20,000 payable over 20 years
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Career opportunities, meaningful work, safe environment, and more

Healthy Workplace Committee
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12 members, including:
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Ed Kane (Chair)
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Stephen Belanger (Physical Plant)
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Thomas Garvey (School of Industrial Design)
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Marija Gojmerac (School for Studies in Art and Culture — FASS)
– Irvin Hill (Equity Services)
– Bruce Marshall (Athletics)
– Maria McClintock (University Communications)
– Laura Newton Miller (MacOdrum Library)
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Maureen Murdock (Health and Counselling Services)
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Valerie Pereboom (Office of the Dean of Public Affairs)
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Christa Pigeon (Info Carleton)
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Carolina Willsher (Human Resources)
16

Healthy Workplace Committee (cont’d)
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Meet once a month (three meetings held to date)
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Creating a solid foundation to build on:
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Terms of Reference
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Logo/identity exercise
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Mission and vision
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Setting goals and objectives
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Looking ahead:
– Decision to follow National Quality Institute Healthy Workplace
Progressive Excellence Program
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Survey of employees

Programs/events hosted to date
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April 21: Office Yoga workshop
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Registration maxed out, 29 on waiting list
• May 6: The Secrets to Successful Budgeting workshop
– Registration maxed out, 4 on waiting list
• May 19: Get Active Your Way workshop
– 8 participants
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May 28: Everyday in May walk (Congress tour)
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12 participants and positive feedback
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Everyday in May Physical Activity Challenge
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168 activity logs returned
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Tremendous response (testimonials and photos online)
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Commuter Challenge
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40 participants saved 582kg of GHG

Programs/events hosted to date
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Health Expo at Summer Fest featuring:
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Nutrition Headquarters
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Ask the dietician
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Sample healthy food items from Aramark
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Massage therapy
– Great-West Life
– Family Services Ottawa (EFAP provider)
– Literature table
– Sunscreen and sun facts
Upcoming events
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Workplace walking program
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Health and Wellness Expo (October)

Communication actions to date
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Announcement in March issue of Carleton Now
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Committee photo in May issue of Carleton Now
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Story in June issue of Carleton Now
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Profile in ThisWeek@FASS e-newsletter
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Website live June 4
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Email announcement/memo from President Runte
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Announcements in Today@Carleton
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Main CU web page photo with link to story in CN
Upcoming
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Article in Fitness Now

What’s next?

Commitment from senior management

Establish healthy workplace committee

Understand needs of employees

Create a health plan to address those needs

Implement the plan (education, events, resources)

Evaluate and refine
We need to provide the means for employees to make healthy lifestyle choices — and make those choices easy ones

Questions, comments and feedback are most welcome!