TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - The 12th annual Canada's Healthy Workplace Month® (CHWM) is an October celebration to introduce workplace health to organizations and support those already promoting healthy workplaces. Organizations that submit their initiatives to Excellence Canada will be showcased on the Canada's Healthy Workplace Month® website.
CHWM is presented by Great-West Life through their national corporate citizenship program, and managed by Excellence Canada (formerly the National Quality Institute).
The theme for 2012 is Life-Work Harmony…working toward a great life!
New this year
We know organizations are pursuing workplace wellness all year long. So this year's Showcase features initiatives completed throughout the 2012 calendar year. We encourage organizations to register and describe their initiatives to be showcased on the website. The initiatives we publish on the CHWM website are eligible to earn a Canada's Healthy Workplace Month® Certificate of Merit as recognition of their Best Practices initiative.
Excellence Canada's mission is to "help organizations improve performance and recognize excellence". The Canada's Healthy Workplace Month® initiative helps accomplish this mission as it recognizes the best practices of organizations across Canada and shares them through the website. This inspires all organizations to improve their performance by learning from the experiences of others.
"When senior management provides visible and authentic leadership to support a healthy workplace strategy, organizations thrive", says Allan Ebedes, President and CEO at Excellence Canada. "We believe that sharing and celebrating practical initiatives through Canada's Healthy Workplace Month should be a part of that strategy."
Why a Healthy Workplace is Important
At Excellence Canada, we know that happy, healthy employees are more likely to treat their customers well. Studies show they are also more likely to stay with their employers, and a healthy workplace environment improves their health and well-being.
Organizations that focus on developing healthy workplaces enjoy tangible benefits. These take the form of increased productivity, higher staff engagement, lower absenteeism, lower benefits claims costs, lower turnover, and greater resilience. Returns on healthy workplace investments reported by large private-sector organizations can range from $1.81 to $6.15 for every $1 invested1.
Organizations that do nothing to foster healthy workplace practices can pay a high cost. Unhealthy workplaces can be toxic and unattractive to top talent. Stress related absences cost Canadian employers about $3.5 billion each year2. Lost productivity due to mental illness costs Canadian businesses about $11 billion each year3. Unhealthy lifestyles include being sedentary, being overweight, smoking, and high alcohol intake and they result in 50% more absenteeism than workplaces without these risks4. Obesity alone costs employers about $1.3 billion per year5.
Canada's Healthy Workplace Month® is about celebrating employees, their successes, and their accomplishments! During October, every employer is encouraged to take extra time to recognize their employees and show them how vital they are to the success of their organization.
"As presenting sponsor of Canada's Healthy Workplace Month, we are proud to showcase the organizations making the link between workplace wellness and organizational performance," says Jan Belanger, Assistant Vice-President, Community Affairs, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life. "Life-Work Harmony is a theme we're taking to heart across our companies. For several years now, we've encouraged our staff to take advantage of a month-long slate of activities and resources within our doors and in the great outdoors, and make life-work harmony a year-round commitment."
About Canada's Healthy Workplace Month (CHWM), October 1st - 28th
The Month promotes fostering a workplace culture of trust and respect where people are happy and healthy at work. In a healthy workplace, people look forward to going to work.
CHWM is funded in part by the following sponsoring organizations:
Presenter: Great-West Life
Champions of Excellence: Great-West Life, Sun Life Financial;
Benefactors: Ricoh Canada; Advocate Sponsor: Manulife Financial; Supporter Sponsors: Desjardins Financial Security, Hill & Nowlton Canada Ltd., Region of Peel, and Westin Hotels & Resorts® Industry: Alterna Savings, OTIP RAEO, VIA Rail, Xerox, and Citrus
Media Sponsor: National Post and YourWorkplace
We hope your organization will join in the 12th Annual Canada's Healthy Workplace Month® celebration. For ideas, activities, and strategies for the Month and beyond, visit www.healthyworkplacemonth.ca. Let's value our people so our people will value their workplace!
1Liz Scott, "Is Health Promotion Coming Back in Style?" Occupational Health Nurses Journal, Volume 26, Number 1, pages 18-19, Spring 2007.-
2C. Williams, and J. Normand, "Stress at Work," Canadian Social Trends, no. 70 (August 2003). Statistics Canada, (2003). http://www.statcan.ca:8096/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno =11 008-X20030026621-
3 Martin Shain, et al., "Mental Health and Substance Abuse at Work: Perspectives from Research and Implications for Leaders," A background paper prepared by the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health, November 14, 2002.-
4Shain, Martin, and Helen Suurvali, "Investing in Comprehensive Workplace Health Promotion", Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, April 2001, page 11.-
5Liz Scott, "Is Health Promotion Coming Back in Style?" Occupational Health Nurses Journal, Volume 26, Number 1, pages 18-19, Spring 2007.
SOURCE: Excellence Canada
Kathryn Cestnik
Senior Vice President
Excellence Canada
(416) 251-7600 or 1(800) 263-9648
[email protected]
Marlene Klassen
Great-West Life, Media and Public Relations
(204) 946-7705
Pour plus d'information, s.v.p. contactez:
Bonita Savard
Excellence Canada
(416) 251-7600 ext 233 or 1(800) 263-9648 ext 233
[email protected]
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