Almost 60 per cent of Canadian human resources managers say the health and wellness offerings at their organizations have declined over the last five years, according to a new survey by staffing firm OfficeTeam.
The survey, which polled more than 300 human resources managers and more than 1,000 Canadian workers over the age of 18, also asked respondents about the most innovative health and wellness programs they had heard other companies offered to employees. Responses ranged from on-site exercise, yoga and meditation to free massages, healthy snack and meal options at work and providing access to trained health-care providers in the office.
Read: Only one third of Canadian employers have wellness strategies in place
“As expectations for workplace well-being evolve, companies have an opportunity to significantly impact their employees’ overall health and happiness at work,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district president for western Canada at OfficeTeam, in a news release. “Organizations that make wellness a priority and empower staff with resources that encourage healthy living at and outside the office ultimately promote an attractive work environment and a more productive and loyal workforce.”
The survey found 26 per cent of employers and 29 per cent of employees consider food served at office celebrations and snacks brought in by co-workers as the biggest challenges they face in meeting their health and wellness goals.
About a third (30 per cent) of employee respondents said they eat healthier when they work from home.
In terms of treats at work, 43 per cent of employees between the ages of 18 and 34 said they like having an office candy jar the most. However, the number of overall employee respondents who said they like having a candy jar at work and the number who said they have a love-hate relationship with it were equal, at 36 per cent.