Success Stories

HealthWorks is pleased to highlight some Healthy Workplace success stories that have been shared with us by employers and employees…

Share your story here — and if you live and work in our catchment area, we'll give you a free mug!

Laurie from Kenora

The Kenora Catholic District School Board has recently identified a need for increased staff wellness. With the guidance of the Health and Safety Committee a Wellness committee has been created. Shannon at the NW Health unit was very helpful and assisting in the administering of a survey to all staff.

The results that came back from the survey have been a great help in directing the committee to best serve the employees needs. We are looking forward to starting off the next school year with wellness as a top priority.

- Laurie

Don from Kenora

Three years ago, my employer - Kenora Municipal Telephone Service started a subsidized quit smoking program for their employees.

I was encouraged by my immediate family and by the people that I work with to take advantage of this opportunity and try to quit smoking.

I was on a 3/4 pack a day habit and was continually coughing, having headaches and generally suffering from all around poor health.

I followed the instructions for the patch for the 8 week period that it ran and have been smoke free ever since.

The hardest part about quitting was the mental addiction that dogged me for a year after quitting, but now 3+ years later I am not thinking about it as much.

- Don Matlock

Northwestern Health Unit Wellness Team

The Northwestern Health Unit Wellness Team has been working hard to help make their workplace as healthy as possible. In their health assessment survey, staff identified food and nutrition as a key priority.

In response to this, and with full support of Management, the Wellness Team has developed Food and Nutrition Guidelines. The guidelines are for use both on Health Unit premises and at community sites where Northwestern Health Unit services are offered. Please feel free to use the guidelines as a model for your workplace!

Dana from Kenora

I went to the Northwestern Health Unit in Kenora and spoke with Judy Underwood. She was very helpful in giving me handouts for my staff. I am making a package for my staff to take home to promote Safety, Health and Fitness in the home. All information that was given to me will be very useful at home as well as at work.

I made copies of some of the presentations to include in packages. The packages also include: information on quitting smoking, the website address, Canada ’s Food Guide, and Dietician consultation - I just paper clipped it together and named it the Health and Nutrition package. I also included in my package two vehicle first aid kits, a TransCanada blanket, a window scraper from the NWHU, a video on ladder safety at home, and family passes to the Rec. Centre to promote fitness.

I did find that the HealthWorks presentations were great, but more geared for an actual presentation in front of a group of people. Printing off the presentation I don't think will be quite as effective as the presentation would have been. But thanks so much for all the help, it was great!

We really stand by Health & Safety at TransCanada.

- Dana