This document discusses the benefits of a healthy workplace. It defines a healthy workplace as one that integrates health and lifestyle practices, organizational culture, and physical work environment to support employee well-being. Benefits include improved employee health, morale, and productivity as well as lower absenteeism and healthcare costs for employers. Establishing a comprehensive workplace health program requires assessing employee needs, gaining leadership support, implementing health initiatives and resources, and evaluating outcomes on an ongoing basis. The goal is to make healthy choices easy and supported for all staff.

1. BENEFITS OF A
HEALTHY WORKPLACE
DESINGED BY
Sunil Kumar
Research Scholar/ Food Production Faculty
Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,
MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAK
Haryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499
email: skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com
linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumar
facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar
webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com

2. OVERVIEW
 What is a healthy workplace?
 Comprehensive workplace health
 Putting it into practice

3. HEALTHY WORKPLACE DEFINED
 A healthy workplace integrates the
following three elements to achieve
optimal health of its people and its
business:
 Health and lifestyle practices (availability of resources and
support of employees’ efforts to adopt and maintain healthy
lifestyle practices)
 Organizational culture (attitudes, values and beliefs
demonstrated in the workplace on a daily basis that impact
the well-being of employees)
 Physical work environment
Source: The definition of a healthy workplace is consistent with
models promoted by Health Canada, the National Quality
Institute,
the Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition, and the Forum on the
Advancement of Healthy Workplaces

4. WHY IS A HEALTHY WORKPLACE IMPORTANT?
 16 million adult Canadians spend half of their
waking hours at work — the environments in
which people live, learn, work and play have
a significant impact on health (Public Health Agency of
Canada)
 Healthy employees have higher morale, are
more productive, and report higher levels of
job satisfaction (Public Health Agency of Canada)
 Absenteeism costs are in excess of 15 billion
dollars a year in Canada (Buffet Taylor Report 2003)

5. BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES
 Improved fitness, health, and lifestyle
 Improved work/life balance
 Improved morale and engagement
 Improved team spirit and job satisfaction
 Reduced stress and incidences of injury
 Enhanced relationships with co-workers
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

6. BENEFITS WITHIN THE WORKPLACE
 Reduced absenteeism and turnover
 Reduced benefits claims
 Enhanced recruitment and retention
 Enhanced reputation
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

7. THE EVIDENCE: BENEFITS WITHIN THE
WORKPLACE
 Healthier employees:
 In the first six months of Toronto’s “Metro Fit” program, municipal employees
saw marked improvements in their health and resilience and reported 3.5
fewer sick days
 MDS Nordion employees enjoyed similar health benefits and were sick less
often than in previous years (fewer than 4 days per year compared with the
Canadian average of 7.4 days per year)
 Continuity in the workplace:
 BC Hydro employees enrolled in the fitness program had a turnover rate of
3.5% compared to the company average of 10.3%

8. THE EVIDENCE: BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES
 Increasing physical activity to at least 30
minutes per day at least 5 days per week
lowers the risk of developing coronary
heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes,
high blood pressure, and colon cancer by
30 – 50% (National Association of Physical Activity and Health)
 Within 48 hours of stopping smoking,
chances of having a heart attack start to
decrease
 within 1 year, risk of suffering a smoking-related heart attack is cut in
half
 within 10 years, risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half
 Within 15 years, the risk of dying from a heart attack is equal to a
person who never smoked (Health Canada)

9. THE EVIDENCE: BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES
(CONT’D)
 Workplace stair-climbing interventions:
Climbing two flights of stairs per day can lead
to a 2.7 kg (5.9 lbs) weight loss over one
year
 Six flights a day can lead to an 8.2 kg (18
lbs) weight loss over one year
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

10. COMPREHENSIVE WORKPLACE
HEALTH

11. COMPREHENSIVE WORKPLACE HEALTH
 Effective workplace health programs are
comprehensive in nature and scope:
 Planned using relevant data such as a survey or needs assessment
 Participation from all levels of the institution
 Addresses employee health
 Addresses the broader work environment and culture
 Evaluated and adapted to meet changing nature of work force and needs of
employees
Source: Conference Board of Canada

12. WE CAN ALL PLAY A ROLE
 Leadership commitment
 Support by managers and supervisors of
committee members
 Inclusive committee — diverse group of
members from all across campus
 Departmental workplace champions
 Lead by example
 Encourage co-workers and colleagues to
participate

13. CURRENT HEALTHY WORKPLACE PRACTICES AT
CU
 Employee and Family Assistance Program
 Membership to Athletics
 Comprehensive benefits plan
 Learning and development program
 Career development fund for professional growth
 On-site Health and Counselling Services
 Paid leave during annual Christmas holiday shutdown
 Free tuition for employees, their dependents and
spouses

14. CURRENT HEALTHY WORKPLACE PRACTICES AT
CU (CONT’D)
 Maternity leave with 95% salary top up and parental leave
 Special leave opportunities (medical/dental/legal appointments;
personal or self-funded leave plans; and more)
 Recognition initiatives with annual Employee Appreciation Day, and
awards program
 Guaranteed housing loan up to $20,000 payable over 20 years
 Career opportunities, meaningful work, safe environment, and more

15. PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

16. PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE…AND, WHAT’S
NEXT?
 Commitment from senior management
 Establish healthy workplace committee
 Understand needs of employees
 Create a health plan to address those needs
 Implement the plan (education, events,
resources)
 Evaluate and refine
We need to provide the means for employees to
make healthy lifestyle choices — and make those
choices easy ones

17. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND
FEEDBACK
ARE MOST WELCOME!