Success Stories

HEALTH PROGRAMS AT WORK PAY OFF, CASE STUDIES FIND
Web Posted Wed, 16 Aug 2006 15:41:54 - CBC 2006

A little exercise at work can go a long way towards saving money for companies and governments, case studies suggest.

Encouraging employees to be active and providing the means for them to do so makes sense as a business case, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, which details corporate successes on its website.

At the Vancouver International Airport Authority, an incentive-based program that began in 2001 cut days lost to Workers Compensation Board injuries to 24 in 2002 from 223 in 1999.

Other measures, including absenteeism, also improved as a result of a program that includes:

• Discounts at local fitness facilities.
• Running clinics.
• Monthly seminars and workshops, as well as lunch sessions on topics such as quitting smoking.
• Health newsletters in pay stubs.

Canada Life in Toronto showed a return on investment of .85 on each dollar invested, and employees in its program were more productive, the Public Health Agency's website said. Other studies cited showed gains of 2006.95 to 16.75 per employee per dollar spent.

Municipal employees in Toronto missed 3.35 fewer days in just the first six months of a fitness program, compared with colleagues who didn't participate.

At the Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters in Charlottetown, a lunchtime fitness program grew so large it had to transfer from the government building to a community centre.

One employee there noted: "I no longer feel the need for 'mental health' days, I rarely take time off for colds or the flu because even when I get them I seem better at fighting them off."

24-7 fitness centre

The Great-West Life Assurance Co. in Winnipeg, which owns Canada Life, has bought into the idea of employee health in a big way.

According to the Public Health Agency, the company has a free on-site fitness centre available to employees 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It features locker and shower facilities, cardio and weight training rooms. During the work week noon-hour aerobics classes are offered free of charge. Other classes such as pilates, yoga, karate and belly dancing are available for a nominal fee.

Cut drug costs

Health-related benefits were also evident at B.C. Hydro, which introduced a program to cut the government utility's annual 08.5-million pharmaceutical costs.

It found there was heavy use of ulcer-control drugs, so it set up clinics to test for the H-pylori bacterium, treatable with a single round of antibiotics.

Within a year, Hydro cut the cost of gastrointestinal drugs by $240,000. Employees felt better "and were happier knowing they no longer had to follow the food constraints of the disease."

Copyright (C) 2006 CBC. All rights reserved.

Active Living at Work – Trends and Impact - Evidence Suggests a Return on Investment for Business

• Canada Life Study in 70's found a return of $1.95 - $3.75 per employee per dollar spent on corporate wellness programs
• Municipal employees in Toronto: missed 3.5 fewer days in first six months of “Metro Fit” program
• BC Hydro employees enrolled in the fitness program had a turnover rate of 3.5% compared to company average of 10.3%
  -Canadian Life Assurance Company found that turnover rate for fitness program participants was 32.4% lower than average over seven years.

Statistics Canada

Statistics Canada was awarded the Excellence Award for Workplace Health by NQI in 2003.  Statistics Canada has instituted programs such as an in-house day care and fitness centre for use at a reduced rate; a free confidential Employee Assistance Program for help with personal issues; social clubs to promote camaraderie; lunch and learn sessions with experts in different fields; and a compressed work week for more family time.  The numbers speak for themselves; Stats Can has experienced a 91% improvement in employee turnover, 57% decrease in injuries, 71% retention of employees, and 78% satisfaction with balance at work and at home.
     

The Daimler Chrysler Story

Daimler Chrysler shares their story about what it takes to sustain a successful organizational health strategy. You are welcome to click on the link below to use this article in your company newsletter or intranet. http://www.healthyworkplaceweek.ca/pdf/DaimlerChrysler.pdf

Georgian College

Georgian College is the largest of the medium sized colleges with more than 600 full-time and 600 part-time employees in 8 locations. As a post-secondary institution with declining government funding and increasing pressures of technology, growth and complexity, Georgian has implemented an organizational health plan.

The first step in implementing organizational health was to study the issue. Georgian College re-affirmed corporate values, researched best practices, surveyed employees and consulted with organizational health experts. Our research revealed that organizational health equates to job satisfaction plus emotional well-being plus physical health.

Employees are seeking meaningful, challenging work, the opportunity to learn and grow, fair compensation, a supportive work environment, and recognition and respect. People stay with employers when they are able to realize the above. People leave when their needs don't match the benefits promoted by the employer, promises are not kept or they do not have a good boss.

Managers should be answering the following questions for their staff: do I know what's expected of me at work; do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right; do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day; in the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for good work; does my supervisory, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person; and is there someone at work who encourages my development? The focus of a mentally healthy workplace is employee engagement and employee engagement is active.

Georgian College conducted an Organization Health and Emotional Wellness Survey in 2001. It revealed a strong staff connection to corporate values and vision, strong support for senior management, higher than average stress levels with a better than average ability to cope, 16% of staff at burnout levels, wide discrepancies in management ability, and a concern with systems/business practices. In response, Georgian formed the Healthy People Team which was a voluntary, representative committee to focus on survey results and recommend long and short term recommendations.

The recommendations were to increase management training and coaching, analyze the Deans' workloads, analyze workload of specific work groups, empower employees to "own" personal well-being, and to assess systems and work processes. The College has implemented these recommendations over the past two years. In future, we will continue to strengthen our "employer of choice position through recruitment and retention strategies, reduce employee stress levels through physical fitness, workload and business practice improvements, and improve management skills through performance feedback, training, 4DI assessment, coaching and mentoring.

Through implementing organizational health initiatives, our employees will be healthier. Healthy people make a healthy organization. Our managers should also understand that everything we do (and don't do) affects someone's decision to join the organization and to stay.

Baxter Lab

Background
Baxter Corporation was founded in 1931and was the first commercial manufacturer of intravenous solutions in glass bottles. The company today has more than 175 facilities and employs approximately 48,000 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located in Chicago Illinois. Baxter Alliston employees 470 people. Baxter is committed to providing workplaces free from recognized environmental, health and safety hazards and promotion of healthy lifestyles. The Alliston facilty has recently been honoured with two corporate awards for environmental, health, safety and wellness programs. The Health Services Team includes: full time registered nurse, part-time registered nurse, part-time physiotherapist, contracted ergonomist and a company physician.

Wellness Program - 2002
Wellness Programs focused on current and timely issues. Promotion of programs included posting on communication boards, washrooms and on plant wellness boards.

• Blood pressure clinic held with over 60% employee participation
• Cholesterol clinic - MDS Labs completed on site program
• Health trivia and winter safety: promoted as a "Lunch & Learn" (cafeteria tray liners were used)
• Diabetic screening clinic - on site capillary glucose clinic conducted by plant nurses
• Flu clinic - offered on all three shifts
• EAP crisis intervention team deployed when long term employee passed away
• Anonymous brag board for weightloss…..the Baxter Team lost over 600 lbs in 2002
• Cancer awareness board……"Early Signs and Symptoms"

Future Wellness Program Development
Develop and implement a long term wellness plan catered specifically to the Alliston facility's needs.
To accomplish this mandate we will …

• analyze historical data from available sources (disability, WSIB, general health trends, in-house occupational injury and illness, EAP and physiotherapy)
• target high risk areas
• seek feedback from stakeholders (corporate, management, hourly and salaried employees)
• set goals, measure results and continuously improve to optimize cost benefits

Programs currently being considered include:

• promotion of strength and stretching programs on site with a focus on good body mechanics
• PILATES program for core body strengthening
• Perimenopause/menopause program for both employees and family members
• Continue diabetic screening clinics

Bradford Progress Childcare Centres

Bradford Progress Childcare Centres operate five childcare locations in the Bradford/Newmarket area. We are a non-profit organization employing approximately 50 full time staff and 15 casual staff. At present, all are women.

As a smaller organization and due to the nature of our work, Workplace Wellness has become an integral part of our planning. In general, childcare environments need to work harder to ensure that we minimize turnover in staff to maintain consistency for the children. Turnover is often due to low wages, sick days and leave of absences.

At Bradford Progress Childcare Centres we believe that we need to do all we can to ensure the wellness of staff if we want to offer quality care to children. We believe it is critical to work towards an environment that promotes healthy lifestyles. This is evident in our children's programs and so should be for staff members.

How does a small organization achieve this with limited funding?

In order to have a functional and successful plan, it is important that all parties buy into the concept of wellness at work. This would mean the Board of Directors, the staff, the parents and the community around us need to know that it is an important issue with great benefits to all.

It is important to have ongoing communication and sharing of resources and information. By participating on the County Workplace Wellness Committee, we have been privileged to receive so many resources and supports. We received tremendous support by our Board of Directors. This allowed us to develop policies to reflect wellness and change and to secure some funds. Workplace Wellness policies are incorporated into our Personnel Manuals as well as our general Policy Manual.

Staff members are greatly encouraged by the commitment to wellness at work. They receive regular information, newsletters and resources. As well, they support initiatives and events introduced by management and other co-workers.

In order to ensure that wellness issues are always on the table, our Joint Health & Safety committee has incorporated it into all meetings. Due to the limited staff we have to serve on committees, the Health, Safety and Wellness committee addresses all issues.

It is important to inform community partners and parents of our initiatives so that they better understand our commitment to workplace wellness. Staff members are surveyed annually to address specific wellness issues. We then set goals for the year's work.

It is important to be creative and not diminish the importance of workplace wellness and it's benefits.

In childcare, we care for and educate young children and in turn support their families. As a workplace we also have a responsibility to the staff members who care for them.

Taking action and setting policies was an effective way in changing the behaviours of our employees. Policies sent a message that the organization intends to protect them and promote their well-being. Staff members are then better able to contribute to the company's growth and development.

Pilkington Automotive

Pilkington Automotive is one of the world's largest suppliers of automotive glazing products. Pilkington operates automotive glass facilities throughout Europe, NAFTA, South America, Australia and China. Pilkington - Collingwood, employees 485 people.

Pilkington North America is committed to creating and sustaining an environment in which preventable accidents are eliminated, and where employees are assisted with health promotion activities including the management of disabilities.

WELLNESS -2003

Health Promotion

• Women's Health Issues - Display Board with information on Women and Heart Health, and Life Style Enhancement Programs.
• Men's Health Issues - Display Board with information on Men's Top Ten Health Threats and hand out on testicular self examination. Within twenty minutes fifty hand outs were gone.
• Flu Clinics - offered on all shifts. More than 50% of the employees were immunized. Blood Pressure Clinic - Self administering unit was borrowed for a period of one month. An average of fifty people per day used the unit. During the immunization clinic employees were asked to record their readings. Two employees were found to be severely hypertensive and fourty eight more were rechecked with twenty of these being advised to see their Family Doctors

Fitness

• Melt Down Challenge - Employees singularly or in teams of five compete over a ten week period to see who can lose the most percentage of body weight. With seventy people competing in the 2002 melt down, a total of 513 pounds was lost. Presently in week three of this years melt down, fifty four people are well underway.
• Exercise Room - Open twenty four - seven, and containing ten pieces of equipment, this gym is used regularly by fifty employees per week. Employees not familiar with the equipment or those wanting a tailored program can obtain same from the staff Physiotherapist

Activity

• Golf - Twenty employees enjoy a social and active Monday twilight golf game. In addition once a summer all duffers are invited to a Company sponsored golf game.
• Water World Outing - Employees and their families are treated each summer to a day at Wasaga Beach Water World.

Future plans

Using EAP and Chair Massage Therapist - Stress Reduction
Winter Driving, Wearing Seat Belts and Responsible Drinking Adding to existing programs ie Nutritionist for Packing Healthy Lunches, Diets for Shift Workers, Weight Watchers Group Walking the Trail

Statistics show that fit employees are more productive, have less sick days and better morale. Helping employees achieve this is Pilkington's goal.