The Small Business Health Model - A Guide to Developing and Implementing the Workplace Health System in Small Business

Appendix 1: Orientation Session

A Suggested Outline

Thank people for attending, state the aim of the session and introduce the representative of the provincial ministry or agency who will conduct the session. The information will generally cover.

An introduction to the Small Business Health Model.

Health and Welfare Canada has developed the Model with provincial ministries and agencies, which act as its coordinating partners. The Model was developed to provide small businesses with the opportunity to maintain and improve employee health through the workplace.

The goal of the meeting: to determine if there is a strong enough community base to support the Small Business Health Model.

An explanation of health, health promotion and simple everyday examples of how it can work.

Health usually has a different meaning for different people. For the purposes of this Model "health" is a broad concept and is defined as a resource for everyday living. It is an essential life ingredient that is influenced daily by personal circumstances, attitudes, beliefs and actions; and by the cultural, social, economic and physical environments in which an individual exists.

Health promotion is the process of enabling employees to increase control over and to improve their health.

A healthy workplace provides mutual benefits for employer and employees within a common belief that good health practices by both will lead to individual and organizational self-fulfilment and productivity.

An explanation of the Workplace Health System.

The Workplace Health System is a comprehensive approach to health that takes into account physical, emotional and social factors and the interactions between individuals and their environments. It is based on five guiding principles, the three avenues of influence on health and is implemented through the Small Business Health Model.

What small business means in the Model.

The Small Business Health Model is directed at companies with up to 100 employees. However, this does not exclude larger businesses from participating in the community small business health initiative. The Model was also designed to include micro-businesses those with 10 employees or less.

An explanation of why the Model was developed for small businesses.

Half the Canadian workforce is employed in the small business sector, which is expected to account for 80 per cent of all future jobs.

Most workers spend two-thirds of their lives on the job. The impact of the workplace on their health is as important as that of their personal lifestyles.

Few small businesses have the resources to provide health promotion programs on site, or to offer employees the kind of health-related benefits available in corporations.

Explain why the Model takes a community-based approach.

The Small Business Health Model takes advantage of strength in numbers. By sharing community resources, small businesses can realize the benefits of health promotion programs.

Explain the benefits for...

• employees
• small businesses
• service providers
• communities