When the City of Calgary conducted an employee wellness needs survey in 2011, one result served as a wake-up call: more than 60% agreed they would like to learn how to get more sleep and feel more rested. This prompted the employer of 16,000 to research the impact of poor sleep on health, safety and productivity—and what it learned could keep you up at night. Instead, that employer decided to do something about it.
The city’s Wake Up! Campaign in June 2013 included the distribution of a print and online magazine dedicated to sleep and a web-based Sleep Challenge Tracker that featured weekly prizes and an online personal assessment for employees and their families. A sleep specialist conducted 11 workshops, participated in an online chat with almost 600 employees and answered emailed questions.
“Good-quality sleep means employees are better able to serve our citizens. Ultimately, that’s why we’re here,” says Teresa Steinhauer, HR wellness advisor for the City of Calgary and project lead for the Wake Up! Campaign.
Partnering with their employee and family assistance provider (EFAP) was critical for success. In addition to helping with ideas and resources, “it was important to integrate with EFAP services so employees could seamlessly take additional personal steps,” says Steinhauer.
Homewood Human Solutions, Calgary’s EFAP, worked with the city’s wellness project team and positioned its services to target sleep and related issues. Homewood oriented staff, including counsellors, call-centre staff and senior executives, to the Wake Up! Campaign and updated the relevant member services area of its website. It promoted additional services for those with more serious con- cerns, such as sleep apnea, and connected employees to clinicians, as required.
EFAP utilization increased in June, particularly in these three areas: health- related issues, elder and family care, and nutrition. “EFAP still carries an element of stigma in the workplace, and that can be minimized by integrating EFAP into the overall health-safety promotion strategy, as the city did with its Wake Up! Campaign,” says Lorene Beckett, the project lead for Homewood. “There is great joy in the work we do when employees see the EFAP as a program to manage their overall health and well-being.”