Canadian HR Strategy

10 executive Series digest hrreporter.com employee healTh iS core To orgaNiZaTioNal SucceSS By Jennifer Elia T he Canadian HR Reporter round- table on organizational health pro- vided an excellent overview of how important it is to have a healthy workplace environment, and how fragile that healthy balance can be. Firstly, this panel of experts focused on what defi nes a great workplace — the culture, the people and the leadership — and how open communications and employee trust are critical to maintaining a healthy and produc- tive organization. Secondly, they examined elements that can erode even the best of workplaces, in- cluding "creeping culture" and micro–cul- tures that can develop on the peripheries of an organization and might not be visible to HR and leadership until serious issues arise. All agreed it can start with the smallest negative action or incident and grow quickly from there. e panel discussed best practices that really nourish a healthy work environment including: formal training for managers to recognize and be able to respond to red fl ags; the importance of communication with em- ployees and providing a safe forum for feed- back and reporting; engaging employees in processes to support positive workplace cul- ture; and ensuring everyone knows and un- derstands the values of the organization and keeps them front of mind in their day-to-day activities. All confi rmed that a healthy work- place starts at the top, and leadership must be committed to walking the talk. e group then looked at what happens when the environment becomes toxic — who is likely to fi rst notice issues, and how best to start the process of detoxifi cation. ey also examined the toll a toxic environ- ment can take on employee health and well-being. e collateral damage to both presenteeism and absenteeism was discussed, as well as costly consequences such as rising disability claims. e panel concurred that it's the "how" that makes the diff erence — the right leadership decisions and commitments, a thoughtfully designed benefi t program that includes an Employee Assistance Program to support employees, and the implementation of — and commit- ment to — strong, transparent strategies and policies . Sun Life sponsored this roundtable be- cause our vision is to create a healthy Can- ada — one organization, one employee at a time. We believe employee health is core to the foundation of establishing a posi- tive work culture and supporting optimal organizational success. We are commit- ted to organizational health, which means everything from the physical and psychological well-being of employees to the employer's bottom line. And we connect the dots in between to ensure employers can measure and understand the value of the in- vestments they make in the health of their employees. Jennifer Elia is assistant vice-president of health and wellness at Sun Life Financial group benefi ts in Toronto. She can be reached at jennifer.elia@sunlife.com or @elia_jen. rouNDTablE

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