Employers encouraged to participate in weekly challenges
Healthy Workplace Month is marking its 10th anniversary in Canada, and this year’s theme is “healthy mind, healthy body, healthy work… a positive workplace works!”
The event, held every October, is designed to encourage employers to take extra time to recognize employees and show them how vital they are to the success of the organization and to celebrate the success and accomplishments of staff.
The event is presented by the National Quality Institute, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety and Great-West Life.
Weekly themes Each week, organizations will be challenged to participate in activities based on the weekly themes. The weekly challenge themes for 2010 are: •Week one: Being a positive workplace •Week two: Being positive with family and friends •Week three: Being positive about work-life harmony •Week four: Being positive about community. Organizations can register at www.healthyworkplacemonth.ca to participate in some or all of the challenges. Why a Healthy Workplace is Important Health care costs are increasing at twice the rate of inflation. More than 50,000 strokes and 75,000 heart attacks occur every year, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Eight percent of workers are taking medication to treat depression and other mental-health conditions, according to The Report on Mental Illness in Canada, a report released in 2002. Mental illness costs the Canadian economy over $50 billion each year, according to published reports. "We hope that employers and employees will take advantage of the challenges and activities each week of the month," said Allan Ebedes, president and CEO at NQI. "Experiencing the joy and sense of well-being from this celebration will hopefully encourage workplaces to initiate and sustain a healthy workplace strategy that incorporates NQI's three critical elements: healthy lifestyle practices, occupational health and safety and the physical environment, and a culture of fairness and respect."
