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Workplace Health and Wellness
WORKPLACE WELLNESS: Getting Started Checklist

The following checklist is used when developing a comprehensive model to support workplace wellness.

 

1. Obtain a Champion: in order to change organizational culture it is important for the wellness and human resource professionals collaborate and gain the commitment of management for workplace wellness. There must also be support from employers at all levels, unions/employee groups and any other key stakeholders.

 

2. Establish a workplace wellness committee with key decision makers: the workplace wellness committee is responsible for planning and steering wellness activities. The committee includes key decision makers, representatives of interest groups, and resource experts.list

 

3. Conduct baseline assessment: it is important to know where you are starting from; the level of satisfaction at the workplace. In addition you need to know the wants and needs of the employees and what management is prepared to support. Baseline can be assessed with surveys, focus groups, and other methods of feedback.

 

4. Develop a workplace wellness plan: it is important to consider the findings of the baseline assessment. The plan should address issues related to the health practices, the physical and social environment and personal resources. Each component of the plan should have goals, objectives, partners, resources requirements, expected timelines and indictors for success.

 

5. Develop an implementation plan: this is a detailed work plan including program objectives, activities and evaluation methods. The implementation plan should be reviewed regularly to monitor progress and to make any necessary adjustments.

 

6. Develop an evaluation framework: this is created to guide the development, implementation and monitoring of the workplace wellness plan. It outlines activities, outputs and outcomes.

 

7. Implement the workplace wellness plan: be sure to communicate and promote the programs and initiatives with employees and allow for employee feedback.

 

8. Generate an evaluation report: this will assist with describing lessons learned, successes, failures, and course correction. The activities carried out need to be evaluated against the goals and objectives initially set during the planning process.

 

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 May 2010 15:38
 
A Best Practice Model for Workplace Wellness

Why Workplace Wellness?

Over sixty percent of the population is in the workforce1 and they spend much of their waking day during a typical week working as well as commuting to and from their workplace. The competing demands of today’s life means there is less time and energy to be engaged in health promoting behaviours leading to physical, mental and emotional health issues. The majority of an employers’ benefit costs are incurred the following disease categories: cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, respiratory, digestive, cancer and stress. Because of the amount of time spent at work, the worksite is a great place to influence a large portion of the population.

Healthier employees result in:
  •  Improved productivityyogaclass
  •  Improved employee morale
  •  Reduced absenteeism
  •  Lower turnover rates
  •  Lower health-care claims/costs
1 British Columbia Stats (2009)

 

What is a Best Practice Approach to Workplace Wellness?

A comprehensive approach consists of elements from the following categories:
1. Health Practices: enabling and supporting healthy lifestyles, behaviours and coping skills.
2. Physical Environment: addressing the health and safety of the worksite.
3. Social Environment and Personal Resources: enhancing the culture of an organization.
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Each of the 3 categories involves a variety of strategies across the following areas:
  •  Increasing awareness and education
  •  Assisting behaviour change and skill building
  •  Providing a health promoting environment
  •  Mobilizing and building capacity

Steps Towards a Best Practice Model for Workplace Wellness

The following steps are instrumental for a successful program:

1. Serious commitment and involvement from senior management.

2. All levels of staff are involved with planning.

3. The focus is on employees needs.

4. Use of on-site experts and facilities.

5. The mission, vision, values and goals are supported by policy.

6. Integration of lifestyle choices, social conditions and work environment.

7. Individualized to the needs of the worksite.

8. Ongoing evaluation of key indicators, measures and outcomes.

9. Long term planning and commitment.

 

Resources: Websites

ActNow BC Healthy Work Environments 

www.actnowbc.ca

British Columbia Parks and Recreation Active Workplace 

www.bcrpa.bc.ca/recreation_parks/active_communities/active_workplace.htm

Active Living at Work: How to build a business case

www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/pau-uap/fitness/work/case_template_e.html

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

www.ccohs.ca/products/publications/wellness.html

National Quality Institute: Canadian Healthy Workplace Resource (HWR) Guide

www.nqi.ca

University of Toronto Health Communication Unit

www.thcu.ca/Workplace/Workplace.html

 

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Last Updated on Thursday, 20 May 2010 08:42
 
Extra Workplace Health & Wellness Links

  • Stairway to Health: Take the Stairs.

    "Stairway to Health is an interactive web-based resource designed to increase physical activity in the workplace through taking the stairs rather than elevators. It was developed in partnership by Health Canada and the Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work" (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2003).

     

    • Source: Public Health Agency of Canada (2003). Stairway to Health: Take the Stairs. Retrieved on March 8th, 2010, from http://bit.ly/Brochure_for_Stairwaytohealth.

     

     

  • Making it Work with Active Living in the Workplace.   

     

    "Making It Work! is a “how to” workbook for those in the preliminary stages of program planning and development. It is designed to introduce practical ideas to help you and your organization develop new perspectives and create effective approaches to active living. Each chapter has been designed to stand alone. This allows you to choose the sections most applicable to your situation" (Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work, 2003, pp.2).

    Source: Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work (2003).Making it Work with Active Living in the Workplace. Retreived on March 8th, 2010, from http://bit.ly/aJkyPZ.

     

     

    •  

  • Active Living and the Working Population.

    "This is one of a series of information briefs based on the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). The series aims to provide a profile of the health and health-related behaviour of the Canadian working population.It is hoped that the information will be of assistance to managers, occupational health staff, and other interested parties in Canadian workplaces in their efforts to design workplace programs to improve health and active living" (Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work, 2003, pp.1).
    •  

    Source: Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work (2003). Active Living and the Working Population. Retrieved March 8th, 2010, from http://bit.ly/Active_Living_and_the_Working_Population.

  • Efficient and Sustainable Methods of Commuting to Work.

" Travel plans offer employee benefits such as reduced  commuting costs and carbon footprints, greater personal health and fitness levels, and better job satisfaction. They can also bring community benefits by helping to reduce air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, traffic congestion and healthcare costs" (ACT Canada & Noxon Associates Limited, 2010, pp.1).

 

Source: Transport Canada (2010). Workplace Travel Plans: Guidance for Canadian Employers. Retrieved March 8th, 2010, from http://bit.ly/Workplace_Travel_Plans.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 May 2010 14:40
 


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