In one episode of the television show The Office, salesman Stanley Hudson has a heart attack during a workplace fire drill. A few days later, he’s back at his desk, with only a doctor’s orders to “relate more positively” to his surroundings. Many employers can only dream of such an easy return to work. In […]
Laugh and the world laughs with you, right? OK, maybe not the world, but what about the workplace? Research has shown humour helps relieve the negative effects of stress, such as tension and anxiety, that can and do surface in the workplace. Other studies show humour can help spur creativity. But work is serious business, […]
With more than 400 programs created over the past decade, Carleton University’s proactive approach to health and wellness helped it earn the inaugural Sanofi Canada Wellness Pioneer award at Benefits Canada’s 2017 Workplace Benefits Awards in Toronto on Oct. 12. The new award recognizes an organization that has developed an innovative and effective long-term health or […]
The Co-operators Group Ltd.’s revamped mental-health program, including an online forum for employees, was central to its win in the category at Benefits Canada’s 2017 Workplace Benefits Awards in Toronto on Oct. 12. Last year, the company launched a mental-health strategy to both support employees struggling with psychological problems and to promote good mental health […]
While mental health is often a sensitive area, the Co-operators Group Ltd. aimed to bring the issue into the open by introducing an online Yammer group as a safe place for employees to talk, share information and support one another. “It’s a way for us to have those organic conversations crop up from our staff,” said Stacey Kennedy, […]
With some employees in the office during traditional working hours, others on overnight shifts and some working remotely, CAA Club Group wants to ensure its wellness program is accessible to everyone. That dedication to all employee groups helped clinch the company’s win for the best health and wellness program for an employer with more than 1,000 […]
Wellness has long been central to employee life at Lakeside Process Controls Ltd. in Mississauga, Ont. That long-standing commitment led to the company’s win for best health and wellness program for an employer with fewer than 1,000 staff at Benefits Canada’s 2017 Workplace Benefits Awards in Toronto last week. Every year, Lakeside Process Controls develops a […]
The majority of Canadian employers intend to prioritize the improvement of workplace mental health over the next three years to help manage ballooning costs, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. Most of the 150 survey respondents indicated that mental-health issues generate major costs to their organization, largely due to disability, absenteeism, loss of productivity and costs […]
To combat the rise in chronic disease rates and the subsequent impact on the health-care system and benefits costs, there’s been a shift in thinking by employers, health professionals and benefits providers towards prevention rather than just treatment. “There is a sense of urgency for preventative measures,” said Derek Weir, manager of group benefits solutions at […]
Employers looking to enhance productivity could consider introducing a new program for workers that would encourage them to take a nap each day. The idea has caught on in the United States with organizations like Google Inc., Ben & Jerry’s and the House of Representatives all offering employees the opportunity to get a little shuteye […]