Provide Balanced Wellbeing Programs
Proactively impact employee wellbeing to improve productivity and boost employee engagement.
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Contributors
- Dr. Vishwanath Baba, Professor of Human Resources and Management, and former Dean of McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business
- Amy Brann, Author
- Sarah Bromely, Occupational Therapist, CamH
- Dr. Cary Cooper, Distinguished Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University
- Lorie Corcuera, Culture Creator and CEO, Spark Creations
- Christine Devine, Wellness Specialist, Michael Garron Hospital
- Jennifer Elia, Assistant Vice President, Client Experience, Integrated Health Solutions, Sunlife Financial
- Virginia Hamilton, Safety Advisor, Vancouver Airports
- Travis Kelly, Manager, Group Disability Claims & Operational Support, Desjardins
- Sandra Koppert, Manager: Prevention & Promotion, Workplace Mental Health, Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Ian Lucas, Health and Wellness Manager, Microsoft UK
- Geoffrey McKinnon, HR Leave Management Specialist, Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
- Anne McLeod, Account Manager, Desjardins
- Ben Nachamani, Head of Sales, Performance and Wellness, InteraXon
- Kaitlin Norris, Culture Specialist, Shopify
- Jill O’Connell, HR Manager, BC Investment Management Corporation
- Bronwyn Ott, Manager of Benefits and Wellbeing, Unilever Canada
- Jennifer Raniga, HR Advisor, Vancouver Airport
- Nitika Rewari, Manager, Workplace Mental Health, Research, Evaluation & Knowledge Transfer, Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Jonathan Smith, MD, MBA, Physician Wellness Program Manager and Founder, Healthier is Wealthier & Associates
- Rex A. Wilcox, MA, Certified Wellness Practitioner, Manager, Wellness at Via Christi Health System and owner, Wilcox Wellness Consulting
- Anonymous, CamH Employee
- Many organizations have employee wellbeing programs focused on physical and often financial wellbeing – which is a great start – but two other elements of wellbeing are often underaddressed: mental and social wellbeing.
- All four elements of wellbeing are interconnected so failing to adequately support one area will undermine efforts in the others. A balanced program is essential for ensuring effectiveness and securing a long-term return on invested resources and time.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Mental, physical, social, and financial wellbeing are deeply interconnected. Each of these factors impacts our overall sense of wellbeing at work, and each of these factors is affected by our work environment and work relationships.
- Wellbeing initiatives offered through the workplace are an important way to make sure our work lives are not barriers to a satisfying personal life. Designing a wellbeing program organized around a clear vision and covering all elements of wellbeing will lead to more productive employees and make your organization a highly attractive place to work.
Impact and Result
- Establish a clear wellbeing vision for your organization and define clear goals and metrics for your wellbeing program.
- Audit existing initiatives to ensure alignment with the vision and goals and to identify any underrepresented elements of wellbeing.
- Take a strategic and purposeful approach to identifying and implementing new wellbeing initiatives that will supplement existing ones and provide balance to the program as a whole.
1. Identify organizational needs and executive sponsors
Create a project team to define the wellbeing program vision and goals and secure executive sponsorship.
2. Audit current employee wellbeing practices
Audit wellbeing metrics and existing initiatives to identify underserved wellbeing elements and potential for alignment with the program vision and goals.
3. Select initiatives for a balanced employee wellbeing program
Develop or revise initiatives that will make the wellbeing program more balanced and aligned to goals while securing support from executive sponsors.
4. Communicate, operationalize, and measure your employee wellbeing program
Build a communication plan and strategy for sustaining the program.
Guided Implementations
This guided implementation is a six call advisory process.
Guided Implementation #1 - Establish organizational needs and executive sponsors
Call #1 - Discuss how your current business strategy and goals can be supported by employee wellbeing practices to establish the vision of your program.
Guided Implementation #2 - Audit current employee wellbeing practices
Call #1 - Discuss wellbeing-related metrics and prepare to audit existing programs.
Call #2 - Review audit results to identify elements of wellbeing that are currently underaddressed by your program initiatives and to evaluate the alignment of existing initiatives with the overarching wellbeing vision and goals.
Guided Implementation #3 - Select initiatives for a balanced employee wellbeing program
Call #1 - Discuss the initiatives required to bridge the priority gaps identified in the employee wellbeing audit, review existing initiatives, and create a shortlist of wellbeing initiatives that fit your needs.
Guided Implementation #4 - Communicate, operationalize, and measure your employee wellbeing program