Canadian organizations in the spotlight for leading workplace wellness programs

GoodLife Health & Wellness Leadership Awards celebrate best practices, encourage happier, healthier employees, positive work environments

TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2019 /CNW/ - Five leading Canadian organizations were recognized this week for their efforts to foster healthier, more inclusive workplaces as part of the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards.

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, MOBIA Technology Innovations, Isaac Operations, The Regional Municipality of York and Flight Centre Travel Group all received awards for exceptional efforts to foster cultures of workplace wellness through continuous improvement in fitness, activity, nutrition, education and employee behavioural change.

"The GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards celebrate some of the most innovative workplace wellness programs in the country with the goal of contributing to a healthier, more productive workforce across Canada," said Tammy Brazier, Senior Director of Corporate and Business Development with GoodLife Fitness. "In all cases, the winning organizations implemented employee-driven programs that reached team members with the right information in a format that works best for them. These kinds of programs change lives by promoting physical and mental wellness, inclusive working conditions and financial awareness."

The GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards recognize four aspects of workplace wellness programs – Leadership & Innovation, Culture & Engagement, Rewards & Recognition, and Personal Growth – and celebrate organizational initiatives across all sectors and sizes in Canada.

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada (Gold Award)
Allstate Insurance Company of Canada is a leading home and auto insurer focused on providing prevention and protection products and services for every stage of life. Serving Canadians since 1953, Allstate strives to keep both customers and employees in "Good Hands®" and is proud to have been named a Best Employer in Canada for eight consecutive years.

With more than 2,600 agents and employees across Canada, Allstate delivers a comprehensive workplace wellness program that addresses health and lifestyle practices, physical environment and occupational health and safety and workplace culture. The Gold Award recognizes Allstate Canada's third year receiving an award. Examples of Allstate Canada's wellness initiatives include:

• A Healthy Workplace Champion program recognizing employees who believe in healthy habits and put them into practice during their workday.
• Mental health training for all leaders.
• Regular events celebrating diversity to create an inclusive and comfortable space for all employees.
• A comprehensive online wellness platform that provides employees and their families with videos, podcasts, live chats and blog posts on a wide range of wellness topics.
• Employee Healthy Potluck Days to share recipes and healthy eating ideas.
• Initiatives supporting Financial Literacy month, including videos from senior management.

MOBIA Technology Innovations
MOBIA Technology Innovations is a systems integration and technology consulting firm working in the telecommunications, healthcare and enterprise sectors. What began as a small family business in Dartmouth, NS, has grown to 325+ employees in many locations across Canada while maintaining a focus on a family feel and culture.  As a growing company in the technology space, MOBIA has shown commitment to employee physical and mental health, as well as to creating healthy conditions in its office locations, including these initiatives:

• Encouraging one-on-one mentoring and coaching for new employees to foster collaboration among employees, to provide on the job training, and to help develop top performers as they grow in their careers.
• Fun wellness events and resources for employees including a Superfood Potluck, participating in the Windsor Corporate Challenge, annual on-site flu clinics and wellness webinars on various topics.
• A newly designed head office space to create a comfortable customizable workplace, featuring sit-stand desks and upgraded lighting with dimming capability for those with light sensitivities.
• Sponsoring 'Women in Technology' scholarships at Dalhousie University to encourage more women to pursue technology careers in order to increase diversity and inclusion.

Isaac Operations
Isaac Operations specializes in hands-on, front-line operational and financial performance improvement. The team of experienced, highly qualified engineers works closely with companies to improve their operations and supply chain. Based out of Toronto's Liberty Village, Isaac's consultants often travel to and work long hours at client sites. To foster physical and mental wellness and create a healthy, inclusive culture, Isaac Operations has established some innovative initiatives for employee engagement and wellness, including:

• Five weeks' vacation for all employees, regardless of how long they've been with the company
• Personal wellness budget of $800 annually (in addition to our standard benefits package)
• Twice annual 'Activity Days' for employees to get together and be active outside the office.
• Funding for 'Isaac Weekends' where employees who plan a weekend adventure with a least 5 peers are sponsored for half the cost.
• Weekly 'Motivation and Happiness' meetings where everyone in the company (including the CEO) discusses work-life balance to monitor employee well-being.

The Regional Municipality of York
The Regional Municipality of York is located in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area. Comprised of nine cities and towns, it provides a variety of programs and services to 1.2 million residents and 52,000 businesses employing more than 636,000 people. York Region employs more than 4,400 people and is working to mitigate health risks, prevent disease, promote health, and identify and respond to the needs of a diverse and decentralized workforce. It delivers an employee-driven workplace wellness program including:

• A dedicated Corporate Wellness Committee with 40 wellness ambassadors representing a variety of roles
• Online internal employee communications (e.g. 'Wellness Wednesday bi-weekly health tips, telework health and safety tips)
• Mental-health training for all staff including supervisors, managers and directors
• Access to a wide range of online wellness content through a social wellness engagement platform and library of well-being tutorials, as well as a dedicated wellness space on the employee intranet to highlight events, programs and content tailored to employees
• Cardiovascular and biometric health screenings, health risk assessments and ergonomic assessments

Flight Centre Travel Group – Healthwise Canada
After starting with one shop in the early 1980s, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has grown into one of the world's largest travel agency groups with company-owned operations in 23 countries and a corporate travel management network that spans more than 90 countries. Flight Centre Travel Group employs more than 20,000 people globally and has a total of almost 2,800 businesses. The company has a dedicated Healthwise corporate health & wellness division that drives initiatives based on employee preferences, including:

• Fun, free challenges focusing on fitness, nutrition & wellness (e.g. sleep challenge, 7 Days of Salads challenge, Winter Immunity program, Mend Your Mind challenge, Deskercise program)
• Whenever Canadian president John Beauvais sets a personal wellness goal, the company creates a 'Join Johnny B challenge' to motivate employees to join their leader and post on social media about their efforts.
• 'Laugh, Stretch and De-Stress' videos that run in Flight Centre retail shops to encourage staff to get up and move throughout the day
• A flexible benefits program, regular face to face contact with management and a customized Healthwise mobile app.
• Personal consults for employees in BioAge, Full Health & Wellness, Quick Vitals and Ergonomics.

The winning organizations received their awards and took part in a panel discussion at the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Summit in Toronto November 26, 2019. For more information about the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards, please visit www.glfwellness.com.

About GoodLife Fitness
Proudly Canadian since 1979, GoodLife is the largest group of fitness club chains in Canada and the fourth largest overall in the world. With almost 500 Clubs from coast-to-coast, over 12,000 employees and more than 1.5 million members, GoodLife is helping to transform the health and fitness of 1 in 25 Canadians every day.  The GoodLife group of clubs includes GoodLife Fitness, Fit4Less, and ÉconoFitness.

SOURCE GoodLife Fitness

Media Contact: Holly Dunn, Dunn & Associates Communications and Public Affairs, [email protected], 902-266-3866

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