Leaders in insurance, technology, and healthcare create conditions for employee mental, physical health
Canadian organizations in the insurance, technology and healthcare sectors received awards recently for their commitment to health and wellness in the workplace. The GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards are given to organizations that demonstrate significant efforts to foster cultures of workplace wellness through continuous improvement in fitness, activity, nutrition, education and employee behavioural change.
Winners include Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, Samsung Electronics Canada Inc., and Canadian Blood Services.
“The GoodLife Fitness Health and Wellness Leadership Awards recognize organizations that go above and beyond to deliver comprehensive workplace wellness programs that truly make a difference to employees,” said Tammy Brazier, Senior Director of Corporate and Business Development with GoodLife Fitness. “Award-winning programs offer meaningful opportunities for employees to learn and access healthy nutrition, fitness, work-life balance and inclusion practices. We’re recognizing amazing organizations like Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, Samsung Electronics Canada, and Canadian Blood Services so others can learn about successful workplace wellness practices, which will contribute to a healthier and more productive Canadian population.”
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
Allstate Insurance Company of Canada delivers a full line of auto and home insurance products in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia via a network of 90+ community-based agencies and more than 2,400 agents and employees.
Allstate’s Healthy Workplace strategy is implemented as part of the Human Resources strategic framework and reinforced through various wellness committees and senior level management support. Employees benefit from discounted corporate gym membership rates, as well as onsite classes and clinics. Allstate encourages suggestions for improvements to their healthy workplace programs, which recently led to the establishment of a Meeting Free Day each month for team members to dedicate more focused time to their work. Employees established walking groups at the head office and these have since expanded to other locations. There are also special health promotion initiatives to promote healthier habits, including smoking cessation, work-life balance, and healthy nutrition. Employees held a guacamole cook-off as a fun way to learn about healthy fats. During the summer, Allstate's head office offers a weekly Farmer’s Market and a green space for employees to enjoy during the summer months.
Recently the strategy included more focus on supports for mental health and inclusive diversity to promote a culture of well-being. The company’s mental wellness committee is dedicated to fostering a supportive open environment and reducing the stigma around mental illness. Allstate Canada encourages team members to share their customs and cultural perspectives at company-wide events.
Samsung Electronics Canada Inc.
Samsung Electronics Canada is a sales and marketing subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, which develops leading-edge TVs, smartphones, virtual reality and wearable devices, tablets and digital devices. Samsung employs more than 500 people in offices in Mississauga, Montreal, and Vancouver. The company offers holistic wellness programs focused on the physical, mental, financial and social aspects of employee’s lives to encourage healthier habits and higher engagement in their jobs.
Based on employee input, Samsung recently revamped its exercise classes and wellness offerings to include higher intensity fitness options and a wider variety of nutritious foods. Employees have access to a fully-equipped on-site gym, as well as discounted corporate gym memberships. The company offers free massage clinics, health screening appointments, flu shots, and blood glucose and blood pressure check-ups on a regular basis. Employees also take part in regular lunch-and-learns on topics related to nutrition, stress, sleep and diabetes prevention.
Samsung team members take part in mental health training programs and are invited to work from home and take advantage of flexible hours. Families of employees are encouraged to learn more about the business by visiting the workplace for Sons and Daughters Day and Bring Your Parents to Work Day.
Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services provides patients in need with reliable access to safe, high-quality blood and blood products, stem cells and organs and tissues. Team members are dispersed across the country, with many in front-line roles without regular access to computers, so the wellness team relies on the intranet and Yammer, as well as team managers and wellness champions to communicate the details of health and wellness initiatives.
To ensure employees have opportunities for physical activity, Canadian Blood Services offers an employee discount on gym memberships and on-site gyms at some locations. Team members have access to workplace classes in yoga, Pilates and Zumba, as well as massage and flu shot clinics. They can take advantage of onsite webinars, on-demand videos, and workshops on nutrition, disease prevention, and healthy habits, and have access a free health risk assessment.
Canadian Blood Services has expanded its mental health programming to improve understanding of mental illness and ensure employees’ mental health is protected and supported. To further promote a culture of well-being, employees have access to programs and resources that encourage diversity and inclusion, recognition, wellness, and overall development.
The three winning organizations received their awards at the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Summit in Toronto November 22, 2018. For more information about the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards, please visit www.glfwellness.com .
About GoodLife Fitness
Proudly Canadian since 1979, GoodLife Fitness is the largest fitness club chain in Canada and the fourth largest overall in the world. With over 400 clubs from coast-to-coast, including GoodLife Fitness, Fit4Less by GoodLife and ÉconoFitness Clubs, approximately 12,100 employees and more than 1.5 million members, GoodLife is helping to transform the health and wellness of 1 in 25 Canadians.
