Workplace Wellness and

Mental Fitness

Department Healthy and Inclusive Communities

October 2, 2014

Agenda

• New Brunswick Wellness Strategy Framework

• Factors Affecting Work Life Issues

• Workplace Health Issues – The Silent Crisis

• Strategy for Intervention Through a Mental

Fitness Approach

• Key strategies for Success

Wellness Strategy 2014-2021: Framework

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Vision

A healthy New

Brunswick where,

together, we learn,

work, play and live in a

culture of wellness.

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What is wellness?

Wellness is the optimal state of health and well-

being of individuals and groups. It is the ability of

people and communities to reach their fullest

potential, both in terms of health and fulfillment of

purpose. The active pursuit of good health and

the removal of personal and societal barriers to

healthy living are key elements to achieving

wellness. (adapted from Bates & Wilson, 2008)

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What is a “culture of wellness”?

• Meets employee’s basic needs

• Inclusive and age-friendly

• Supports independence

• Opportunities – education, personal

development, employment

advancement, engagement

• Community connections, cultural &

heritage assets

• Clean, safe environment

• Priority on health and wellness

• Sustainable, and comprehensive

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Where are we now?

• Recognize our capacity and assets

• Acknowledge the work and commitment to

workplace wellness across the province

• Recognize there are challenges

• Build on our strengths

• Continue to work on the positive aspects

created by a healthier and well work culture

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Factors Affecting Work-Life Issues

• Changing demographics

• Budget restraints and the uncertain economic

factors

• Technological advances

• Work demands

• Impacts of the different generations perceptions

of work values

• Number of work hours

Demands on Time and Energy

• A typical employee now spends 50.2 hours doing

work-related activities

- about 54% of these who take work

home, spend an additional 7 hours

of work per week

• Approximately one third of

their working hours are

spent on emails

-the majority check emails on

time off

• Employees also have demands at home related to

child, elder care, parenting, volunteer work, etc.

Duxbury, Higgins, 2012

Time and Energy Demands Impact

• Employee wellness and health enhanced

lifestyles related to;

- levels of stress

- maintaining sensible eating habits

- adequate physical activity levels

- smoking and alcohol use

- productivity

- absenteeism

- time management

- levels of motivation and engagement

Workplace Health Issues

The Silent Crisis • Costs for work-related injuries linked to stress and

burnout are estimated at $14.3 billion

• Lost productivity costs in Canada are estimated at

approximately $18 billion per year

• $100 million is paid out on LTD claims annually

• 56% of Canadian employers consider the rise in

employee mental health claims to be a top

concern

• 84% of organizations have no wellness

interventions in place to address employee

wellness

A comprehensive workplace wellness program

should promote wellness and healthy lifestyles.

A focus on wellness is the foundation to

success.

Prevention

Intervention

Promotion

Wellness in NB: Progress

• GNB (Part 1) Comprehensive Workplace

Wellness Initiative 2009 – 2013

• Improvements in;

- Stress levels at work

- Unhealthy weights

- High blood pressure

- Safety practices

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GNB Workplace Wellness Study

•Obesity: Approx $1.4 million in savings over 4 years

Guiding Principles

• Using a comprehensive

approach

• Focusing on inclusiveness

and equity

• Building Competence,

Autonomy and Relatedness

– the CAR Model

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Goals

• Increase number of

employees and ultimately

New Brunswickers with

capacity to support

healthy development

and wellness

• Increase number of

settings that have

conditions to support

wellness

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CAR Model

Mental fitness is fostered in environments and

relationships that satisfy three interrelated needs:

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Competence “I have strengths and gifts

that are recognized by

myself and others.”

Autonomy “I am able to make choices

about things that are

important to me.”

Relatedness “I feel included, supported

and encouraged by others.”

Outcomes

Healthy and resilient people – the majority

of New Brunswick employees have optimized

their capacity to support healthy development

and wellness for themselves and others.

Healthy and resilient communities –

conditions to support wellness are optimized

in the majority of workplaces and other

settings.

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MENTAL FITNESS

Mental fitness refers to a state of psychosocial well-being

(ability to think, feel, and behave in a manner that

enables them to perform).

Mental fitness

Mental fitness drives positive lifestyle

changes, and leads the way to healthy

choices

Adopting a Mental Fitness Approach

• Has an impact on relationships and the well-

being of the workplace

• Helps employees to cope and thrive

• Leads to organizational resiliency and positive

engagement practices

• Is based on positive leadership practices

• It is not a program, it is a practice

Paradigm Shift Video

Behaviours

Perceptions

Values

Assumptions

Attitudes

Visible

Not

Visible

Beliefs

Norms

Needs

Actively Disengaged

(Amotivation)

Moderately Engaged

(Extrinsic Motivation)

No intention to act

Acting to obtain

external reward (i.e.

pay) or avoid

external punishment

(discipline)

Highly Engaged

(Intrinsic Motivation)

Task is taken

for enjoyment

and satisfaction

Understands

importance of

taking action

Engagement/Motivation Continuum

Aligns with

values and

needs

Acting to

obtain

internal

reward

(boost ego

with pride) or

avoid internal

punishment

(guilt or

anxiety)

No or lowest satisfaction of the

needs for competence, autonomy

and relatedness

Highest satisfaction of the needs for

competence, autonomy and

relatedness

Choice

Duality

Problem

Choice

Conscientious

Needs

prevention

and

intervention

promotion and

development

KEY FACTORS TO SUCCESS

• Leadership and management

• Effective communication channels

• Partnerships and collaboration

• Build on assets

• Integration is key to sustainability

• Ownership and empowerment

• Policy development

• Innovation

Promote a Mentally Fit Workplace

• Changing the work culture to support health

promotion strategies and related activities should

- help to promote a state of well-being

- create an environment where employees

have the ability to think, feel and behave in

a manner that enables them to perform

- be free of stress related emotional

conditions that result in threats or

injuries

Stand up Activity

• What did you do yesterday?

• What are you doing today?

• Is there anything that stands in your way/do you

need help with something?

• Standing group meeting

• 2 minutes each

12 Minute Face Time

• Take the time to spend 12 minutes with each

individual on your team

• Opportunity to get to know the employee

• Should be consistent, but no agenda

• Phone conversation or one on one

• Not a performance management tool

• Can speak about anything, does not need to be

work-related

• It’s about the employee and not the manager

• Main goal is to create relatedness

Feedback Model

• What went well?

• What was tricky?

• What could you have done differently?

• Would you like to receive

some feedback?

Adopt Strategies to Encourage

Mental Fitness

• Listen

• Respect opinions

• Acknowledge ideas

• Encourage initiative

• Offer choices

• Provide positive and

timely feedback

• Focus on abilities

• Recognize and build

strengths and skills

We Need To Celebrate What We Do

• We can change the way we look at things

through CAR

• Once we do, employee perspectives will

change

- productivity

- engagement

- motivation

- Remember, it takes 21 days to change a habit

Strategies:

• Invite employees to explore and participate in problem solving

• Acknowledge employee’s perspectives and allow opportunities for

active listening

• Show respect and understanding

• Offer opportunities for dialogue and support

• Offer choices within the work structure

• Provide sincere, positive feedback that acknowledges initiatives

• Develop talent and share knowledge to enhance competence and

autonomy

• Provide opportunities to increase autonomy, learn new skills, and

collaborate with others

• Provide factual and non judgmental feedback about problems

“identify the facts”

It all comes down to relationships

It is important for managers to spend time building the relationships

and creating a culture of trust with employees.

By applying CAR strategies, managers will build an environment of

trust and respect where changes made using the CAR approach will

have an impact on the employee’s level of engagement, motivation

and satisfaction.

Impact - C.A.R Provides Motivation

for Improvement

• Performance or productivity

• Attendance rates

• Pro-social behaviours

• Health and well-being

• Achievements and success

• Growth and efficiency

• Empowerment and engagement

• Conflict resolution and solution finding

Moving toward a culture of wellness

We are all part of achieving the vision of New

Brunswick’s Wellness Strategy:

A healthy New Brunswick where, together, we

learn, work, play and live in a culture of wellness.

Our challenge and our opportunity are to make a

conscious decision as a society that our priority is

wellness for everyone, everywhere, every day.

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For more information on

New Brunswick’s Wellness Strategy

www.gnb.ca/wellness

• New Brunswick's Wellness Strategy 2014-2021

(pdf)

• Wellness Strategy Framework 2014-2021 (pdf)

• Wellness Strategy Action Plan 2014-2015 (pdf)

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Questions?