Dal launches Workplace Wellness Strategy

To coincide with Healthy Workplace Month, today Dalhousie launches its first Workplace Wellness Strategy, “Work Well: Ready to be a Better You” for faculty and staff.

Work Well [login required] outlines the university’s wellness goals for 2016-2019 that focus on five key areas: nutrition, sleep, physical activity, chronic pain and financial competency. In addition, Work Well provides wellness resources and support to faculty and staff.

 “Our Quality of Work Life Survey conducted in 2015 told us that employees are concerned with wellness, including their physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and financial health,” says Janice MacInnis, manager, organizational health, Human Resources. “In response, we developed the Work Well Strategy to help address the needs of our faculty and staff, and to develop a strong wellness culture on campus.”

The strategy was developed in consultation with the Healthy Workplace Collaborative, a group of like-minded faculty and staff from various departments and faculties that are interested in health and wellness or who work in the field.

Read the full strategy: "Work Well: Ready to be a Better You" [login required]

Supporting health and wellness at work

Many departments and faculties on campus have already introduced wellness initiatives with their staff and have seen tremendous success. One such example is Facilities Management.

In 2014, Facilities Management began a partnership with the School of Occupational Therapy and introduced the WorkSAFE@Dal project. It began with OT students shadowing custodians on the job in an effort to reduce work-related injuries and has since expanded to other Facilities Management teams. The students learn about the employees’ physical demands and then offer ergonomic advice, stretches and proper lifting techniques to prevent injuries.

“We are so busy with work and family, we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves,” says Monica Munroe, custodian, Facilities Management and contributor to the Work Well strategy. “I often say, 'take care of you and life will take care of itself.' Once I took control of my health by eating healthy and exercising, it helped me mentally. If I can help others do the same, life is good.”

Facilities Management also organizes a lunchtime softball league each spring that many team members participate in. Toolbox sessions are held with Facilities staff throughout the year to raise awareness on various topics, including wellness.

“I think it’s also really important to have a supervisor who is supportive of employee wellness, and who recognizes when someone on the team is feeling stressed or overwhelmed, whether at work or home,” adds Munroe. “We all deal with things differently and knowing that I have a good support system at work means everything to me.”

Events all month long

There are a number of events, workshops and sessions planned throughout October for Healthy Workplace Month, including the month-long annual Walktober that encourages faculty and staff to count their steps each day and yoga for employees.

“We know employees are coming to work every day with challenges, which can’t help but impact their ability to do their jobs effectively. As an employer, we have a shared responsibility with employees to help them find ways to achieve wellness,” adds MacInnis.

For a complete list of events, workshops and sessions, visit Work Well by clicking on the Faculty/Staff tab on myDal and visiting the Health & Wellness section.