Hamilton Health Sciences was one of 26 Canadian organizations that participated in a two-year mental-health pilot project that wrapped up in 2018. Developed by Mindful Employer Canada and supported by the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s occupational health, safety and prevention innovation program, the project included interactive, peer-led education sessions for the health care organization’s workforce. “We […]
A new year typically brings a renewed focus on health and wellness both at the personal level, via goals or resolutions, and at the corporate level through benefits and wellness programming. Here are five fitness and health trends to watch for 2019. 1. Faster, focused workouts The No. 1 excuse for not working out continues to be lack […]
One in every five Canadian suffers from some form of chronic pain, a condition that often — though not always —starts with an injury or illness and lasts more than three months or beyond the normal recovery period. With so many Canadians suffering from chronic pain, one would assume its treatment would be well understood in […]
Mindfulness meditation negatively effects motivation and may be counterproductive in a workplace environment, according to a recent study. The study, by Andrew Hafenbrack, an assistant professor of the Catholic University of Portugal’s school of business and economics, and Kathleen Vohs, a professor at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson school of management, concluded that mindfulness meditation may provide […]
Organizations that involve organizational leadership in their wellness programs and offer stress management within the program are more likely to notice a positive effect on health-care costs and higher employee participation rates, according to a new report by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Looking at specific actions, the report compared successful wellness programs with those that are less successful. Among the […]
Financial drain, emotional turbulence and tested physical limits are common challenges in the early months of the year. For employees to successfully transition out of that state towards a year of productivity, health and growth, they need to feel supported in prioritizing taking care of themselves. One issue that commonly comes up in the early months is how […]
As part of efforts to add to its mental-health training for staff and faculty, the University of British Columbia is in the process of rolling out a mindfulness program from technology giant Google Inc. The Search Inside Yourself program, an effort launched internally at Google in 2007, follows the research of leading experts in the fields of mindfulness, neuroscience and […]
Building on a wellness program that covers employees’ overall well-being, Allstate Insurance Co. of Canada is introducing a trio of programs in January. “January can be a stressful and a tough month for many,” says Adrianne Sullivan-Campeau, the organization’s vice-president of human resources. “So you’re coming down from the holiday high, you have large bills coming in from your holiday purchases, […]
While employers will continue to address areas such as mental-health awareness training and chronic disease management in 2018, the following five trends will also be on the horizon for Canadian workplaces. 1. Mindfulness High stress levels in the workplace are leading to decreased focus and efficiency among employees. As a result, low workplace morale erodes productivity, and […]