Corporate wellness programs speak broadly about the overall benefits for businesses, such as how these programs can save companies money while leading to higher employee productivity and increased job satisfaction and morale. The Emera Wellness Guiding Principles not only speaks to these advantages but also demonstrates how—by using its strategies—corporations can create a sustainable, healthy […]
In 2007, the Canadian division of Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) underwent a significant change, revamping its business culture and employee benefits. It was an enormous task, and the corporation faced a number of challenges along the way. Change of direction According to Lynda Newcomb, vice-president, HR, BMS Canada wanted to create an entrepreneurial culture in which […]
Too few people are familiar with metabolic syndrome, but wellness leaders at Ontario Power Generation (OPG) are seeking to amend that with a new employee health awareness campaign. Metabolic syndrome is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle that includes eating too many high-calorie foods, being inactive and gaining weight, particularly around the abdomen where fat cells […]
Watch this video Wellness programs—and the approach employers take to them—have dramatically changed over the past 10 years. Lori Casselman, assistant vice-president of health and productivity solutions at Sun Life Financial, says that wellness programs are no longer considered merely “nice-to-haves.” Rather, they are now seen as a necessity, with more and more employers recognizing […]
Watch this video Lori Casselman, assistant vice-president, health and productivity solutions, with Sun Life Financial, talks about the importance of implementing health and wellness programs and the significant effect these programs can have on a company’s culture and employee engagement. Watch the video to hear more of what Casselman has to say on this topic.
Why should employers implement health promotions? Essentially, we promote health to our employees so they’ll be more successful in the workplace and also know that they are valued. In turn, this can affect engagement, retention and attraction of top employees. What are you hoping to add to UBC’s health initiatives? Lots more. We’re planning to […]
For the University of British Columbia (UBC), integrating health and wellness practices into the institution’s culture has been a process. Health promotions for faculty and staff at the 103-year-old Vancouver-based university formally began in 2003 with a one-day Health Symposium, which included a keynote speaker, a lunch and a series of sessions. “Employees were encouraged […]
Equitable Life of Canada has introduced an online health assessment tool aimed at helping plan members better understand and manage their health. The tool, developed in partnership with Ceridian Canada, prompts plan members to respond to a series of questions regarding health indicators and preferences (nutrition, exercise and/or workplace-sponsored events). While individual health assessment responses […]
Watch this video Cyndy Nayer, president, CEO and co-founder of the Centre for Health Value Innovation, discusses the importance of creating a culture of wellness in the workplace. “It’s intrinsic for employers to take a leadership role in health and performance,” she says. And how those health initiatives are delivered is just as important. The […]
While 96% of Canadian employers have wellness initiatives or plan to introduce them, only 24% have fully implemented wellness strategies, according to Buck Consultant’s recent survey, Working Well: A Global Survey of Health Promotion and Workplace Wellness Strategies. The survey found that fewer than one in four workplace wellness programs in Canada have a strategy […]