Putting People First, Then and Now
Veterans Affairs Canada National Head
Office
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
When it's your job to respond to the needs of veterans and keep the memory
of their achievements and sacrifices alive for all Canadians, you know what
it means to value people.
At the National Head Office of Veterans Affairs in Charlottetown, employees
are considered the organization's most valuable resource, and their exceptional
Workforce Well-Being Program, which is supported by all levels of management,
proves this commitment.
Although remotely located in Canada's smallest province, this national
Headquarters boasts close to 1,000 employees at any one time, including senior
levels normally only found in Ottawa. In order to create the best program
to give its employees a wide variety of ways to maintain or improve their
health, Headquarters first established a Well-Being Committee in the spring
of 2000.
Now in its forth year, the resulting Workforce Well-Being Program revolves
around a trio of key elements aimed at helping employees get the most out
of life and enjoy all the health benefits that an active lifestyle can provide:
Element A: Physical Activity, Active Living & Fitness
Veterans Affairs
Headquarters supports two activities to educate and provide its employees
with the opportunity to experience an active lifestyle:
1) Circuit & Strength Training Classes
Spearheaded by an employee with
a background in kinesiology, the study of movement, a group of employees
volunteered to organize a lunchtime fitness
program and they formed a 'Motion Committee' to do so.
Incredibly dedicated to making the program successful, three Motion Committee
volunteers completed training on their own time to become Certified Fitness
Instructors. Their work has certainly paid off, with an average of 60-70
employees attending the noontime program each session.
In fact, the program became so popular that Headquarters had to partner
with a local Community Recreation Centre to accommodate all the employees
who wanted to participate regularly. Many employees report that they are
now "hooked on exercise", while the instructors have also benefited by boosting
their confidence and self-esteem as a result of their positive experiences
in leading the classes.
2) Wellness Gym
To encourage employees to try different
types of fitness equipment such as treadmills, exercise bikes and free weights,
Headquarters
has set up a small
gym with locker rooms and showers nearby. The aim is to introduce employees
to the >fun' of exercise in a comfortable environment by letting them
select which equipment works best for them so they will be more apt to incorporate
it into their lifestyle.
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Element B: Balancing Work & Home Life
Back to School Program
This element's 'Back to School Program' is a partnership between the University
of Prince Edward Island and Veterans Affairs Canada aimed at providing employees
with opportunities to take courses to further their education and professional
training.
The classes are held during the workday, as the majority of employees participating
are women, often with small children and/or aging parents. Veterans Affairs
recognizes that caring for children or elders during the evenings or on weekends
can
be a deterrent to attending university, and the challenge can be even greater
for single parents.
Generously coordinated and hosted by the Veterans Affairs Learning Centre,
this unique program is open to all levels of government in PEI. Since its
inception in September 2000, 75 different Veterans Affairs Headquarters employees
have received 202 credits. This is quite remarkable, given that other federal/provincial
employees together received a total of 104 credits.
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Element C: Healthy Lifestyle
Veterans Affairs Headquarters offers a series
of eight at-work programs under its Healthy Lifestyle banner:
1) Eldercare Sessions
These workshops provide an overview of eldercare including the myths, facts
and trends. Sessions include discussions of the most common fears and concerns
of caregivers, plus ideas to help employees cope with this stressful transition.
2) Wellness Fairs
These information fairs include 25 wellness displays featuring everything
from healthy eating and fitness alternatives to how to quit smoking or how
to find quality health information. Employees can also learn from demonstrations
of yoga, ball fitness training and healthy food preparation.
3) Smoking Cessation Clinics
Provided by the provincial government through its Addiction Centre, this
important clinic holds interactive sessions with just 10 employees per session
to maximize the chances of long-term success.
4) Weight Watchers Sessions
This well-known ongoing program has approximately 25 employees at each 12-week
session. Headquarters even encourages employees from other federal and provincial
government departments to attend as well.
5) Flu Vaccine Clinic
Held each October during the workday, this clinic encourages employees to
receive their flu shot where it is convenient and easy.
6) Stress Management Workshops
Based on William Glasser's 'Choice Theory' to help cope with stress in
today's fast-paced world, these workshops are proving very popular, with
over 200 employees participating last year alone.
7) Wellness Corners
An information kiosk with monthly postings of 'awareness' weeks and months
is maintained at each of Headquarters' work locations.
The health promotion products on display for staff cover 25 common chronic
illnesses or conditions such as mental health, cancer, arthritis, and diabetes,
plus copies of Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living
and Canada's Food Guide.
8) Lunch & Learns
Every week from September to June 'lunch and learn'
education sessions are held on various topics, including nutrition, diabetes
prevention, blood
pressure screening, financial planning, self-defence, and personal health.
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Conclusion
Veterans Affairs Headquarters' Workforce Well-Being Program is
proof that the department truly does consider its employees their most
valuable resource,
as it helps employees start and maintain a lifelong journey to wellness,
one simple step at a time.
In fact, the Program's been so successful in PEI that plans are in the
works to adapt the Program for use by Veterans Affairs offices nationwide.
For
more information, please contact Gail Proude, Learning & Workforce
Well-Being Services, via email at gbproude@vac-acc.gc.ca.
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Veterans Affairs Employees Value the Benefits of Active Living
|
| "My participation in the Motion Club gave me the focus and enjoyment
I've been missing. The payoffs are many: improved health, positive outlook,
improved self esteem, more patience, and a better ability to deal with
stress." |
| "In terms of the workplace, the fitness and wellness program has
made me a better employee; on a personal level I am a better wife, mother
and friend." |
| "I no longer feel the need for 'mental health' days, I rarely take
time off for colds or the flu because even when I get them I seem better
at
fighting them off." |
| "I am so proud to say that I now practice being physically fit
on a regular basis. Mental wellness is found through physical fitness!" |
| "I've noticed that I have more endurance, more energy, more "bounce'
in my step and a healthier lifestyle. Overall, I have more confidence in
all aspects of my life." |
| "Being a member of the Motion Club makes me more energetic and
clear thinking, therefore, more effective and efficient while at work." |
| "I continue to participate in the fitness classes because my manager
allows me to use my break and lunchtime all at once to join in. Trying
to balance work and family life makes it impossible for me to join an exercise
class in the evening." |
| "This wellness program has given me a whole new outlook. There
is nothing like a good workout to get your heart pumping, toxins flushed
out of your system and a real natural high going. I have proven to myself
that I'm worth it!" |
| "Making a commitment to improve my health is the best thing I've
ever done for myself." |
Click here to
see the full archive of case studies and to access information on the seven
principles of highly successful physical activity in the workplace programs.
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