HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-001-12 Clarftwn REPORT
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Date: February 27, 2012 Resolution#: By-law#:
Report#: CAO-001-12 File#:
Subject: EMPLOYEE WELLNESS COMMITTEE — HEALTHY WORKPLACE AWARD
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report CAO-001-12 be received for information.
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Submitted by:
Franklin Wu, M.A.O.M
Chief Administrative Officer
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CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379
REPORT NO.: CAO-001-12 PAGE 2
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 The Employee Wellness Committee was created in 2008 after a need was
identified and interest was expressed by staff. The Employee Wellness
Committee reports to the Chief Administrative Officer and is comprised of
volunteer staff members who share a passion for sharing healthy living
messages with their co-workers.
1.2 The mandate of the Employee Wellness Committee is to encourage group
participation in problem solving and provide a forum that helps to empower our
employees to recognize that each of us has within us the power to make the
choices that maintain our health.
1.3 The Committee functions as one of the available resources that can support
employees in linking wellness principles to diverse employee health and lifestyle
needs and interests as they look for ways to improve their physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual health, and ultimately reduce absenteeism due to illness.
1.4 The Committee's objective is to support and contribute to the Municipality of
Clarington's Employee Wellness program.
This objective includes:
➢ Determine needs & interests of employees with respect to employee
wellness;
➢ Establishment of goals and target dates for wellness initiatives;
➢ Ongoing identification and analysis of program progression and
success;
➢ Consideration of techniques available to promote wellness programs in
order to achieve active participation from employees.
2. EMPLOYEE WELLNESS COMMITTEE INITIATIVES 2011
2.1 In 2008, the Employee Wellness Committee conducted a needs assessment to
determine the interests and concerns of our co-workers as well as the methods &
means by which they would best appreciate receiving wellness information.
Using this information, the Employee Wellness Committee meets to determine
programs and initiatives for each calendar year.
2.2 In 2011, the Employee Wellness Committee provided wellness information in a
variety of activities including:
➢ Take 10 Challenge — individual goal setting challenge
➢ Heart Health Presentation — Lunch & Learn
➢ Nutrition Month Food demonstrations
➢ Cancer Awareness month display
REPORT NO.: CAO-001-12 PAGE 3
➢ Canada Health Day Group Walk
➢ Health Awareness information posted on the employee intranet
➢ Information bulletin board installed at MAC in the staff lunchroom
➢ Race Across Canada — physical activity tracking challenge
➢ Promotion of Healthy Workplace Month
➢ Promotion of regional Durham Action Challenge
➢ Implementation of a Recipe Exchange
2.3 The Employee Wellness Committee operates these activities at low or no cost.
Prizes which are used to promote participation are generously donated by our
Community Partners in Health: Region of Durham — Health Department, Durham
Lives!, local charitable health organizations and the CAO's office.
3. FUTURE PLANNING
3.1 The Employee Wellness Committee met late in 2011 to develop a plan for
activities for 2012. The Region of Durham — Health Department promotes
chronic disease prevention in the workplace since chronic disease is the #1
cause of death and disability and it is largely preventable. As such, the
Committee is focusing on Cancer Screening when planning 2012 activities.
3.2 Where applicable and possible, the Employee Wellness Committee aligns their
activity planning with local, provincial and national health campaigns already in
existence. The activities & initiatives that the Employee Wellness Committee has
begun planning for staff for 2012 include:
➢ February — "Driven to Quit" Contest
➢ March — Nutrition and Cancer (Colon cancer)
➢ April — Cancer display (Canadian Cancer Society — Durham
Chapter)
➢ May— Skin Cancer Awareness
➢ June— Physical Activity/Breast Cancer Theme
➢ September— Survivor Story Exchange - Lunch & Learn
➢ October— Healthy Workplace Month
➢ November— Movember (Prostate Cancer Awareness)
➢ December— Oral Care — Lunch & Learn
3.3 In 2012, the Employee Wellness Committee will be relying on services provided
at no charge by our community health partners as well as prize donations to
encourage staff participation. It is the Committee's goal to secure a small budget
account in 2013 in order to enhance our program offerings and increase
employee participation.
REPORT NO.: CAO-001-12 PAGE 4
4. HEALTHY WORKPLACE AWARD
4.1 In May 2011, two committee members attended a workshop with the Durham
Region Health Department about Healthy Workplaces and learned about a new
Healthy Workplace Award that was being introduced in 2011. As a committee
we determined that we would be interested in applying for this award.
4.2 The award recognizes workplaces in Durham Region for their commitment to
workplace health and the prevention of chronic diseases. Workplaces are
awarded for their commitment to the comprehensive approach to health
promotion. Workplaces will receive an award of recognition (Bronze, Silver or
Gold) presented at their workplace. The Healthy Workplace Award is based on
achieving points under 4 health promotion strategies: Awareness Raising,
Education & Skill Building, Environmental Support and Healthy Policies.
4.3 Through the leadership of the Committee Chair, Erica Mittag and all the excellent
works of the Wellness Committee, the Municipality of Clarington was recognized
by the Region of Durham Health Department and awarded the Gold Healthy
Workplace Award for recognition of our activities which promoted healthy eating
awareness with Municipality of Clarington employees in 2011.
CONFORMITY WITH STRATEGIC PLAN — Not Applicable