Healthy Workplaces

The competing demands of work, family and/or personal responsibilities often mean less time or energy for health prevention behaviours like physical activity. These pressures often lead to other physical and emotional health issues such as unhealthy eating, tobacco use and substance misues. A healthy workplace environment can enhance the health and well-being of employees and benefit the community as a whole.

Follow the MeetWell guidelines outlined in the following tip sheets to create a healthy workplace: 

• Healthy eating and physical activity guidelines for meetings, conferences and events
• Healthy eating checklist for meeting planners
• Healthy eating checklist for all food preparation staff
• Food safety
• Physical activity guidelines for meetings and conferences

Dowloadable MeetWell publications:

• MeetWell brochure

Other work-specific tip sheets:

• Fatigue fighting tips
• Fitting in physical activity at work

The Ministry of Health participated in a one-year pilot project to evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of health interventions and strategies to promote a healthy workplace. The Healthy Workplace Initiative provided information, opportunities and support to employees with the goal of increasing physical activity and healthy eating, decreasing tobacco use and managing employee stress. ( Evaluation Report on the Stairway to Health Initiative)

The following materials will provide best practice and evidence-based resources, tools, links and ideas to plan and implement healthier choices in the workplace.

Healthy Workplace Initiative Resources:

• Workbook
  Will assist in the development or enhancement of healthy workplace activities.
  
• Toolkit
  Templates and tools to provide health practice activities that support healthier choices in the workplace.
  
• Supporting Materials:
  Activity posters
  Stairclimbing posters: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven