EnerCare provides opportunities for employees to improve their physical and mental health
HR trend reports show that employee engagement remains a top priority for HR professionals. The need to ensure that employees who are at work are really at work (mentally, that is) is an ongoing issue that organizations face as they ponder the costs of lost productivity due to absenteeism and presenteeism.
And what are those costs? According to a U.S. study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine that looked at lost productivity for 10 U.S. employers (a combined sample of 51,648 workers), health-related productivity costs were 2.3 times (on average) the cost of medical and pharmacy costs.
Of course, employees’ physical and emotional health is fundamental to helping them get to the right “space” so they are ready and willing to be engaged. A culture that values and promotes good health influences that engagement.
EnerCare Inc. set out to positively influence employees’ health behaviours by facilitating multiple physical and emotional health activities. EnerCare owns a portfolio of approximately 1.2 million water heaters as well as other assets that are rented primarily to residential customers in Ontario. The company also provides sub-metering services for electricity, heat and water to condominiums and apartments in Ontario, Alberta and elsewhere across Canada. The company has grown from approximately 50 employees three years ago to more than 130 employees today.
Len Bates, director of HR, is well aware that Canada’s full-time workers are at the greatest risk of burnout due to high chronic stress. In fact, according to Sun Life Financial’s 2011 Canadian Health Index, they are at 22% greater risk than the Canadian average. “It’s becoming common knowledge that stress significantly contributes to the development of chronic physical illness, such as high blood pressure,” says Bates. “At EnerCare, we want to ensure our wellness strategies address both physical and mental health. Not only does this help employees’ well-being but productivity increases, and health claims and experience are better managed when employee health is improved.”
EnerCare’s culture nurtures employees’ good health and behaviour by providing plenty of opportunities for employees to participate in healthy mental and physical practices. Get the World Moving, for one, is a global program that motivates, inspires, supports, educates and engages employees in a healthier lifestyle. EnerCare pays the $100 annual fee for employees to participate and, through a series of team and personal challenges, employees are encouraged to improve their health and weight through increased physical activity. Almost half of EnerCare’s employees participate in this program and work to reach the minimum goal of 10,000 steps a day. The program supplies participants with pedometers to easily track their steps, and seven EnerCare employee teams regularly walk together. Bates says even employees who do not participate but simply observe the walking teams are encouraged to increase their daily physical activity.
With a GoodLife Fitness gym located across the street from EnerCare’s Toronto head office, employees are motivated to undertake regular gym workouts. EnerCare successfully negotiated a favourable corporate rate and pays participating employees’ annual membership fees in one lump sum. Employees then reimburse the organization through semi-monthly payroll deductions. The ability to purchase a membership through installments makes participation more financially manageable for many. EnerCare also arranges for an on-site flu shot clinic, making it easier for employees to participate in this important public health measure.
To promote mental and emotional well-being, the company provides employees with a Wellness Room, which is often used for prayer and meditation. “Our Wellness Room communicates our respect for employees’ desire and need for spiritual expression and the importance of occasionally regrouping to strengthen one’s mental energies,” Bates explains. “It is conveniently located, expressing our recognition of an individual’s spiritual needs while at work.”
EnerCare also offers the occasional fun activity, such as the company-wide annual Ski (or Snowboard) Day. Employees who participate leave work for the ski hill midday and ski or snowboard into the evening. In addition, department heads are encouraged to organize special events for their staff. In 2012, EnerCare staff participated in a variety of activities, such as curling, sailing and go-karting. The result is greater employee engagement and appreciation, which improves presenteeism and absenteeism levels.
Clearly, EnerCare understands the link between employee health and productivity. “I know that there is a positive connection between healthy, engaged mentally and physically active employees and a productive, positive workplace where employees want to come to work every day,” says Bates. “We continue to fine-tune our wellness program, and we continue to be proud of our employees for their participation and their productivity.”
Esther Huberman is a communications consultant with Pal Benefits. ehuberman@palbenefits.com
Looking for more examples of employers that walk the talk on wellness? Go to benefitscanada.com/wellness
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