View
218
Download
4
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
Healthiest You A Healthy Workplace Initiative
Healthy employees making a
contribution to the organization
within a healthy workplace
environment.
Inside this Issue
Page 2 Ideas in action for better workplaces
Page 5 Minimizing holiday stress
Page 6 What is mindfulness?
Page 7 Staying healthy and
safe this winter
Page 8 Cultivating Mindfulness Course
Why not just live in the moment, especially if it
has a good beat? - Goldie Hawn
2014 Healthy Workplace Month a Success!
This October, the Saskatoon Health Region offered a variety of activities aimed to improve awareness of Healthy workplace initiatives while aligning with Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month 2014 theme “workplace wellness fosters happy and healthy employees”. The following programs and activities were offered to employees across Region:
Virtual Health Fair
Healthy Workplace Month Passport Challenge
Free Fitness Classes
Information Sessions o Mindfulness-based stress reduction in healthcare o Brain health: is your brain a muscle? o Health at every size o Assessing your lifestyle
Keynote – Open Your Mind to Possibilities with Shelley Keyes
2nd
Annual Healthy Workplace Champion Summit
We also conducted a survey of participants to collect data on activities that we hosted for the month as well as options people would like to see offered in the future.
Thank you to everyone who came out to the different events and provided their feedback so that we are able to continually improve based on the needs and interests of Saskatoon Health Region employees.
See the full summary on the on the Infonet or contact Donna Chalifoux at donna.chalifoux@saskatoonhealthregion.ca.
2
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
inspired workplace Fresh thinking on creating a better work environment
…for champions, by champions
Registered nurse Sue-Ellen White wants to promote
team spirit in the workplace.
With that goal in mind, Sue-Ellen recently made a
pledge for Saskatchewan’s first Change Day. Her
pledge was “to promote team work and to encourage
everyone to treat each other equally and with
respect.”
Sue-Ellen, who works at Saskatoon City Hospital, is now
putting her pledge into action. With her friend Marie
Orr-Gosselin, a licensed practical nurse at Parkridge
Centre, she is working on a grassroots initiative to foster
a sense of team spirit among health care employees.
Sue-Ellen and Marie are selling brightly coloured T-shirts
that are emblazoned with the words “We work as a
TEAM.” The logo on the T-shirt lists various health care
jobs, and each job is depicted as an equal piece of
the pie.
Sue-Ellen and Marie want “to bring people together”
and “show respect to one another.”
“We enjoy our jobs and all the people we work with. We want to help increase morale between staff,” they said in a
statement that they wrote to explain their initiative.
“To us it doesn’t matter your education level, your pay grade, the letters behind your name, or what you bring to the
team. We work together. We work as a team to get the job done.
“No one can do their job without the person beside them. Each person is an individual and important in our day-to-day
work. Patients are the reason we strive to do our best, but it’s the people beside us that get us to our best.”
Sue-Ellen and Marie say they created the T-shirts and the logo “to help show what we are working for – a positive
atmosphere.” They hope their idea spreads throughout Saskatchewan, and they emphasize that everyone is welcome
to wear a T-shirt and join their campaign.
For More SK Change Day ideas and stories visit the website at www.skchangeday.com.
Inspiring BETTER WORKPLACES ideas in action for healthier work environments
CHA
Workplace wellbeing relates to all aspects of your work life from the health
and safety of your physical environment, work life balance, to opportunities
for professional growth and development. Essentially it is how you feel about
your work and your workplace environment.
3
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
…inspiring better workplaces continued
To share your inspiring ideas to create a better workplace, contact Donna at
donna.chalifoux@saskatoonhealthregio.ca or call 655-6228.
Fun at Work Earlier this year, the Payroll Department took on
and won the Fun at Work Challenge offered
through the Healthy Workplace Initiative. Here is
one week of fun events that Payroll staff took part
in over the month of June 2014.
June 1 – 7:
3rd Annual Payroll Office Olympics on June 5;
Staff participated in 6 different Olympic events
spread out around the office over the course of
1 hour – Payroll Archery, “Boss Ball”, Human
Calculator, Microfiche challenge, Kaizen Puzzle,
Payroll obstacle course. Great team-building
took place. Staff were divided randomly into
teams and assigned a team color. They had to
come up with costumes, a team name & a
team flag. Some teams went all out, but almost
all staff members participated. Then we
enjoyed some after work beverages at local
pub.
Had a potluck lunch. We have become locally
famous for our Potluck lunches! We try to have
one at least every other month. We’ll pick an
occasion just for the sake of having one!
Everybody participates in this, as they are
always super delicious! We have actually
divided our office into 2 groups, so one group
will bring to one potluck, and the other group
will bring to the next one. In the past, we’ve
had themed lunches (breakfast theme, “Black
tie”/formal theme)
Daily Yoga/Stretches @ 1:30pm
Walk in park at afternoon coffee; a couple of us
planted Sunflowers at the Children’s festival!
Department/Unit: Payroll, Avord Tower
No. of Participants: 20-25 employees
In general, we think our office has always had “fun
at work”. We saw this challenge as an opportunity
to document and enhance the fun things we do
manage to squeeze in. In addition to fun in our
office, we also collaborate with the Finance
department once a year in the fall for a larger
team-building event. This started years ago with the
former VP of Finance, Deb Rhodes and has carried
on. In 2012, volunteers from both departments
organized a walking scavenger hunt of downtown.
In 2013, the committee organized a very successful
Finance Amazing Race (and we’ve already had
requests to do something similar again this year).
What makes all these fun things possible is the group
of people that we are fortunate enough to
work with. Even though we all have different
personalities and lives outside of work, we
somehow manage to work & have fun
together! We believe that this helps us in our
daily jobs as we are more relaxed & open to
learning, and have a better attitude when dealing
with difficult situations.
Thank you to Judy Barkman for this
submission.
4
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
Payroll Fun at Work continued…
June 8 – 14 Brought back “Mystery Treat Thursday”, which was something we had started in May; a volunteer or
group of volunteers arranged a special treat for the staff. This week it was an Ice Cream Sundae Bar (In
May we had an Ice Cream Float day). “Punch cards” were developed to add some extra fun to this
special treat.
Daily Yoga/Stretches @ 1:30pm
Weekly Wall Walk where we recognize any positive feedback
June 15- 21 Payroll Candy Crush (round 1) – payroll staff member donated 3 jars filled with candy; staff had to
guess how many candies in each jar and the closest to the actual number won the jar with the candy.
Amazing how a bunch of women (& 1 guy) get excited about candy!
Mystery Treat Thursday – Funny how this has become contagious, and now others within the office are
volunteering to bring a mystery treat. This week was a delicious home-made rhubarb cake, made
with rhubarb from another staff member’s garden, complete with fresh cream and/or ice cream to
top it off with.
Daily Yoga/Stretches @ 1:30pm – We are fortunate enough to have a registered & licensed Yoga
instructor in our midst, so every day at 1:30, she leads us in 5 minutes of stretches and relaxation. We
gather at our visibility wall and stretch down the hallway so everybody has enough room. When our
instructor is away, we take turns leading this group activity. It helps us to refresh in the middle of the
day, and we find increased productivity in the afternoon
Weekly Wall Walk where we recognize any positive feedback
June 22-28 Developed the “Payroll Gold Star” champion award, where employees can anonymously nominate a
co-worker for something they have done (exceptional customer service, helping others etc.) or just
because they deserve it. Each week the recipient of this award will get to keep the very classy trophy
at their desk for the week. Then the following week, they will pass it off to the next recipient. This is just
a way to recognize the good work our co-workers do on a daily basis.
Daily Yoga/Stretches @ 1:30pm
Weekly Wall Walk where we recognize any positive feedback
Payroll Candy Crush (round 2) – a staff member donated 3 more jars filled with candy; staff had to
guess how many candies in each jar and the closest to the actual number won the jar with the candy.
Long Service Award recognition & presentation on June 26th – we had a special morning coffee
break/party with cake & speeches to recognize our 4 long service award recipients. We had 1-10
year award, 2-15 year awards & 1-25 year award!
5
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
Minimizing holiday stress through
mindfulness Source: Homewood Human Solutions
The holiday season can be one of the most stressful
times of the year. The expense, the pressure, the
rush, the excitement and our often unrealistic
expectations can leave us emotionally and
physically exhausted. It can also be a sad time if
we’re missing distant family or remembering those
we’ve lost. And if we don’t celebrate the holidays,
the barrage of music, decorations, traditions and
television programs may make us feel excluded
and alienated. One way to cope with the stress of
the holiday season is by practicing mindfulness.
During such a hectic time of year, it can be
extremely challenging to focus our attention on the
present moment and appreciate everything around
us in that moment. But here are a few ways to begin
the process.
*accept people for who they are. Don’t expect
family, friends or coworkers to be perfect just
because it’s the holidays. In fact, conflicts and
dysfunction are actually heightened at this time of
the year.
Accept that people will not necessarily act the way
you want them to and that events may not go
exactly as you had planned. Acceptance doesn’t
mean resignation. It means not focusing on your
opinions, judgments and desire to do things
differently.
*be compassionate. If family or financial problems
overwhelm you during the holidays, it’s easy to think
you’re the only one struggling. Having compassion
for others makes it easier to think about the positive
aspects of your life.
*stop striving for perfection. Many of us are often so
focused on buying the perfect gifts, or making the
perfect holiday meal that we don’t enjoy the
season.
*ask for help or find shortcuts. For example, ask each
family member to bring a different dish for the holiday
feast or if you don’t have time to bake your special
cookies for the office potluck – buy them. No one will
mind. We can all take time to appreciate the
decorations, hear the music, savour the food, and
enjoy the festivities.
*don’t overextend financially. A big stressor over the
holidays comes from overspending. Keep within your
financial means during the holidays and afterwards.
Always remember it’s the thought that counts, and
not the value of the gifts you may give.
*remember what’s important. It’s easy to get swept
up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and forget
what the season is all about – spending time with
family and friends, helping the less fortunate and, for
many, celebrating their faith. Keep what’s most
important to you front and centre.
When you stay mindful of the many wonderful
things the season offers, you’ll experience less
stress. If, despite your best efforts, you’re
having trouble coping or are feeling
persistently sad or anxious, talk to your doctor
or contact your Employee and Family Assistance Program.
All SHR Staff Welcome!
“Open the Door to Possibilities!”
Keynote with Shelley Keyes
What would it take to have a better
workplace?
Shelley will lead us in some fresh thinking
to open the door to possibilities in creating
healthier, vibrant workplaces that we all
want and deserve.
Thursday, October 9 12 – 1 PM
Rependa Auditorium, SCH Telehealth Available
Register through the Training Registration System
For more information contact Donna at 655-6228
Source: MF_V_EN_13 © 2013 Homewood Human Solutions
For more about mindfulness practice, check out Homewood’s latest edition
of Life Lines newsletter on the SHR Infonet: Learning to be Mindful.
6
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
What is Mindfulness? There are many definitions of mindfulness. Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn,
professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts
Medical School, developed Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
(MBSR). He defines mindfulness as "paying attention in a
particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-
judgmentally."
Psychology Today defines it as “a state of active, open attention
on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts
and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad.
Mindfulness means living in the moment.”
Mindfulness is the opposite of multitasking – which is what the
holiday season is about for many of us. If the holiday season is
hectic, we are usually so wrapped up thinking about the tasks we
have left to do and rushing to complete everything that before
we know it, the holidays have passed us by and we’re left tired
and frustrated.
If you are feeling overwhelmed
by the thought of the upcoming
holiday stress, consider taking
some time to complete one of
Homewood Human Solutions e-
courses, including Taking Control
of Stress, and Resilience.
For extra support or additional
coping advice, contact SHR’s
confidential Employee and
Family Assistance Provider
(EFAP), Homewood Human
Solutions:
Phone: 1-800-663-1142
Website:
https://www.homewoodhum
ansolutions.com/
“Only that day dawns to
which we are awake.”
- Thoreau
7
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
Slips/Trips/Falls continue to be in the top incidences for SHR and
with the winter months we would like to remind us all to be alert
and mindful of our surroundings to keep ourselves safe!
As you are aware, slips/trips/falls are most often due to
environmental factors like slips on ice, wet surfaces, etc.;
however, increasing our core strength can reduce the risk. The
research supports that core strengthening programs result in
participants having increased core strength and balance
(Sandrey & Mitzel, 2013).
As a support for staff, Managers, Business Wall Owners, etc., the
“Getting Active at Work: Core Strength Exercises” resource
package was created to help reduce staff’s risk of slips/trips/falls.
The resource package contains:
Intro/rationale sheet
Pre & Post Tests for 1) Balance and 2) Physical Activity
Core Strengthening Exercises Sheet
Poster
Additional resource information
You can use the pieces together or individually as fits your
purpose.
Share this with your staff & colleagues ~ at wall walks, huddles,
staff meetings, in new staff materials and elsewhere where it fits
for your team! …a healthy workplace and in motion initiative on behalf of the SHR and the University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing.
Staying Healthy & Safe this Winter
Wintering well…
Winter is a wonderful time of the year – it
also brings winter driving, endless snow
shovelling, winter sport injuries, chapped
and dry skin, colds and flus and plenty of
darkness… Is the thought of black ice
and white snow giving you the blues? It
needn’t be. Being prepared and a little
creative can make winter an enjoyable
and safe time of the year. Check out
these resources online:
Feeling the effects of less light? Pat
Katz provides some ideas to “brighten
things up.”
Browse Wintertime Health & Safety
articles under Health Features in the
Health & Wellness section of our
benefits provider, Great West Life.
The Winter Blues? Learn more about
Seasonal Affective Disorder from the
Canadian Mental Health Association
SHR’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), Homewood Human Solutions, is pleased to offer a new mobile
device application called e-AP. The application features information on a variety of topics encompassing work, health
and wellness. e-AP allows you to gain valuable information through video streaming, podcasts, articles from experts and
self-assessments. e-AP is available for free and is compatible with iPhone (3G, 4, 4S, 5), iPod Touch (3rd and 4th
generation); iPad (OS 4, 5 and 6); Android (OS 2.2 or higher). You can find e-AP on iTunes or Google Play (formerly the
Android marketplace). Install it today and have access to an abundance of helpful information at your fingertips. From
topics like relaxation and reducing tension, visualization, caregiving and work-life balance, building self-confidence,
working after retirement, anger management, addiction, nutrition, or legal and financial issues, it has never been easier to
access wellness resources on the go and at a place and time that is convenient for your busy schedule.
For more information on e-AP and Homewood Human Solutions please visit Homewood Human Solutions.
8
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
Two Minute
Prescription for
Happiness
Happiness expert Shawn
Achor, says that “you are not
just your genes and your
environment….Happiness can
be a choice. But it’s a choice
that we can influence
through our organizations.”
Shawn’s prescription? Take
two minutes each day to
express your gratitude. For
example:
Write down three new
things for which you’re
grateful, or
Spend two minutes each
day praising or thanking a
person you know, and
Commit to doing it for 21
days.
Shawn continues: “You get
these great emails back [and]
21 days later you realize you
have incredibly deep social
connections … which are
predictive of happiness in
organizations as well as how
long you will live.”
Source: re:Work Conference 2014
Dr. Anita Chakravarti will be present at some of the sessions in the 8-week Course. There is a fee for
this course. For more information, a fee schedule and to register, contact Jeanne at 306-653-2325 or
jeannecorrigal@sasktel.net. The poster is available on the Healthy Workplace Infonet page.
9
Quarterly Update Winter 2014
Visit the Healthy Workplace Infonet page for a full listing
of all health and wellness resources and services
available to you as an SHR employee.
This is also the home of the Virtual Health Fair – check out
the health and wellness app section today!
http://infonet.sktnhr.ca/healthyworkplace/Pages/Welcome.aspx
…be your Healthiest You
In motion News
As part of the in motion Healthy Workplace Evaluation
(HWE) free learning sessions were offered at each of the
six (6) participating worksites. All individuals who
participated in the first part of the HWE were invited to
attend one of the Healthy Workplace Learning Sessions.
Each Learning Session was facilitated by a qualified
coach who worked with participants to identify
challenges that hinder/stop participation in healthy
behaviours as well as identify what is working and other
solutions to overcome the challenges.
Multiple holistic actions were identified to help promote a
healthy workplace culture within SHR. The summary of
participant feedback from the Learning Sessions
suggested that supporting champions throughout SHR
who are helping to transform the workplace experience
by coordinating and conducting training sessions and
advocating for healthy workspaces is one way to start.
Click here to read some of the other ideas your
colleagues came up with during the Learning Sessions to
promote a healthy workplace.
Contact Cora Janzen to learn more about supporting
physical activity in the workplace and/or discuss the SHR
in motion Champions.
cora.janzen@saskatoonhealthregion.ca; (306) 655-4696
EFAP
Indoor playground
Massage therapy
Fitness centres
Wellness classes
Active
transportation
options
Professional
development
opportunities
More!
Virtual Health Fair
The SHR Virtual Health fair includes over 30 different
screenings, tools and resources to help you assess
your current status and make improvements towards a
healthier self.
Resources are updated continually. Visit today and
come back often.
And…. it is absolutely FREE!
Questions?
Contact Donna at 655-6228
Go to Departments > Healthy Workplace > Virtual Health Fair
Quarterly Update Summer 2014
WE WANT YOU! Are you enthusiastic?
Do you enjoy connecting with colleagues?
Are you a positive role model?
Do you want to be part of creating a Better Place to
Work?
Why not become a Healthy
Workplace Champion?
Join the Network! We are looking for champions in all areas of Saskatoon Health
Region. For more information and to register, visit us on the Infonet
or contact Donna or Mimi.
This is a big place which makes
communication and connection
two very large challenges.
Champions are a key part of
reaching people where they are
and helping to keep us all in the
loop! The commitment is small, the
rewards are big.
Healthiest You Update is published quarterly.
If you would like help planning for a healthier workplace in your area, contact:
Donna Chalifoux, Healthy Workplace Consultant, donna.chalifoux@saskatoonhealthregion.ca
Mimi Lodoen, Healthy Workplace Educator, mimi.lodoen@saskatoonhealthregion.ca
Recommended