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Do you have a sense that the workplace itself creates stress? Leading Canadian
organizations are taking action to alleviate organizational stress at its
source. They are adopting a strategic, balanced approach to workplace wellness
where employee health is valued and is a component of daily business decisions.
How does your workplace compare to some of the healthiest places to work in
Canada?
Health Canada outlines the following key factors that influence health in the
workplace:
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The physical environment: a healthy, well-designed and safe place to work
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The psychosocial environment: a “culture” that supports employee well-being and
effective work practices
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Personal resources: having control over your work and health, being able to cope
with stress and knowing that there is support available when needed
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Personal health practices: opportunities to make healthy lifestyle choices that
support long term health and well-being.
The most effective workplace health promotion is comprehensive and aims at
improving all of these elements. Dr. Martin Shain, of the Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health in Toronto and a recognized leader in Canadian workplace
health, provides us with the following definition:
“Comprehensive Workplace Health Promotion is an approach to protecting and
enhancing the health of employees that relies and builds upon the efforts of
employers to create a supportive management culture and upon the efforts of
employees to care for their own well-being.”
Note the point about dual responsibility lying with both the employer and the
employee.
Leading Canadian organizations are implementing Comprehensive Workplace Health
Promotion based on the National Quality Institute’s Canadian Healthy Workplace
Criteria. NQI, based in Toronto, developed the criteria in partnership with
Health Canada and in association with professionals from the health and safety
sector. The criteria provides a logical framework for developing and sustaining
a healthy workplace through four essential “drivers”:
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Leadership
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Planning
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People Focus
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Process Management.
A fifth part of the framework entitled “Outcomes” is designed to capture the
results and effects of the organization’s healthy workplace effort.
Why start with leadership? If, in fact, the goal is not only to develop but also
to sustain a healthy workplace this can only happen when the organization’s
leaders believe in and are committed to the goal.
Leadership means aligning workplace health with organizational goals and MDS
Nordion is a good example. Located in Kanata, Ontario, they provide the global
market with radioisotopes, radiation equipment and related product used in the
diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other illnesses. Consequently, MDS
Nordion experiences the high pressure of trade on the world stage coupled with
being a part of the fast-paced, competitive, high technology field. Yet this
company strives to create a workplace that inspires innovation, creativity and
teamwork. It has received recognition through the NQI Healthy Workplace Award
as one of Canada’s best companies. Commitment to their employees is aligned
with their business strategy through the belief that “ basic human values go
hand-in-hand with good business”. Their core values, considered essential to
the enduring success of MDS, are:
At MDS Nordion you can see the core values in action. For example, they provide
employees at all levels with a learning program available in flexible format
through on-site resources or reimbursement for job-related courses at external
teaching institutions. Flexible working arrangements allow employees to
participate in training related to health or work, to take up fitness
activities (there is a fully equipped on-site fitness facility) and accommodate
personal scheduling issues.
Leadership also means that the executive management team provides direction and
resources while at the same time the leadership, responsibility and
accountability for healthy workplace issues are shared throughout the
organization. At MDS Nordion, senior management is highly supportive, with the
Vice President of Human Resources the champion of the cause at the executive
level. The leadership is shared through a Health Promotion Advisory Committee
and others such as the Active Living Team, Employee Assistance Program team and
Health & Safety Committees. The Health Promotion Advisory Committee was
responsible for the development of a 3-year Corporate Health Plan that
integrates all health related initiatives.
Telus BC, a large telecommunications company with headquarters in Burnaby BC, is
another NQI Healthy Workplace Award trophy recipient. Telus BC has identified
resilience, change mastery and a corporate culture that supports work/life
balance and employee health needs as the key success factors. They determined
these priorities through dialogue with senior management, strategic planning
sessions, employee surveys and studies as well as industry and national
business trends. This company uses the Balanced Scorecard approach to encourage
management accountability for meeting healthy workplace objectives and, as
such, has experienced a positive change in corporate culture.
A healthy workplace has a strong focus on its people. People Focus is about the
organization’s culture, the psychosocial environment and the organization’s
efforts to foster employee input on healthy workplace and organizational
issues. MDS Nordion has an open door policy so employees can bring their
concerns to their supervisor, the executive team, the Human Resources Employee
Relations Team or to the Corporate Health and Wellness specialist. Employees
are invited to participate in mapping of specific work processes to identify
issues and make improvements. Employees have numerous opportunities to have
input on health issues through surveys (including employee satisfaction) and
the many health and wellness committees. Employees receive recognition through
a comprehensive recognition and rewards program with both formal and informal
mechanisms and equal emphasis on team and individual achievement. The outcome -
MDS Nordion is a great place to work.
Both MDS Nordion and Telus BC also offer their employees a wide range of
opportunities to stay healthy: healthy food choices in the cafeteria and
vending machines, fitness facilities, educational sessions, flue shots, a
return to work program to mention a few.
Both these companies are showing positive trends in employee health and
well-being as well as cost savings to the company. Telus BC states a return on
investment of three dollars for every dollar invested in the program. In 1999,
MDS Nordion outcomes include a turnover rate of 6% (norm for the industry is
10%), an annual sick day usage of 4 days average per person per year (the
Canadian average is 7.4), lost time injuries at an all-time low and a lower
rate of grievances.
12 Questions
To see how your organization measures up to the NQI Healthy Workplace Criteria
take the following brief questionnaire.
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Is a strategic approach in place to developing and sustaining a healthy
workplace and is it based on employee needs?
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Do your leaders demonstrate, through their comments and action, a commitment to
the management of a healthy workplace?
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Is there an overall health policy in place stating your organization’s intent to
protect and promote the health of all employees by providing as healthy an
environment as possible?
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Do you have a formal assessment process to determine employee needs, attitudes
and preferences in regard to healthy workplace programs?
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Are the workplace health assessment results analyzed and are improvement goals
set out in a Healthy Workplace Plan?
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Does the Healthy Workplace Plan lead to improvement of all the key elements of a
healthy workplace - the Physical Environment, Health Practices and the Social
Environment & Personal Resources?
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Do you have a mechanism in place to review relevant occupational health and
safety legislation and are you in compliance with such legislation/regulations?
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Do you have methods in place that make it easy for people to provide ongoing
input on healthy workplace and organizational issues and to seek assistance?
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Do you measure employee satisfaction levels in order to improve the workplace?
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Do you identify the contributions of your people and provide appropriate
recognition and rewards?
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Are there good levels and trends in employee satisfaction and morale?
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Do you train your people in healthy workplace principles and methods?
How does your workplace measure up? The tools are available to help move your
organization forward to be a healthier, less stressful, place to work. It takes
time and effort but is well worth doing because a healthy workplace is clearly
a win/win situation for both employee and employer.
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