In 1999, Karolev joined Campbell Canada as its part-time occupational health nurse. “When I got there, things were well organized,” she says. “They had a pretty safe work environment and they were fully in legislative compliance. But to sustain good health with an aging workforce, we needed to take it up a notch.”
In 1999, Karolev joined Campbell Canada as its part-time occupational health nurse. “When I got there, things were well organized,” she says. “They had a pretty safe work environment and they were fully in legislative compliance. But to sustain good health with an aging workforce, we needed to take it up a notch.”
Karolev started developing a business case for the programs she wanted to implement, based on a detailed analysis of benefits utilization among employees. The senior leadership team was receptive and Wellness Within launched in 2003.
“The Wellness Within program has been such a foundational piece of work for us as a company, helping to articulate our Campbell Canada vision of ‘extraordinary authentic nourishment for all’ internally,” says Laura Lee-Blake, director, human resources. “From a technical standpoint, Fanny has so much training and knowledge, and personally her passion and the way she inspires trust have been very important.”
Wellness Within targets different health concerns throughout the year with three overarching areas of focus: nutrition, active living and prevention. From newsletters and cooking demonstrations to presentations from community experts and games (“Osteoporosis Jeopardy” was a recent hit), the program aims to help employees achieve better health by providing them with information and tools that enable them to make healthy choices every day.
“In wellness, people often need a personal crisis — and I don’t want to wait until they have a night in the hospital with chest pain,” says Karolev.
Karolev also spearheaded the Wellness Within Check-up, which gives employees a comprehensive health assessment, a personalized goal-setting session and regular follow-ups. She’s booked solid, and has expanded her team to include two more registered nurses, two part-time kinesiologists and communications support. Last year, more than 1,500 Campbell Canada employees participated in Wellness Within programs — and the message is spreading. Campbell’s World Headquarters partners have also adopted some Wellness Within programs.
In May 2007, Karolev started a 24-month study called Heart to Heart, in partnership with Pfizer Canada, to evaluate and reduce the cardiovascular disease risk of Campbell Canada employees. She plans to publish the results in a recognized medical journal to share the data with other organizations.
“It’s been an amazing experience and incredibly rewarding for me as an individual,” Karolev says. Winning a 2007 Who’s Who in Workplace Health Award for Employer Innovation is the healthy, low-fat icing on the cake.
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