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Healthy Families BC is all about helping British Columbians improve their health and well-being wherever they live, learn, work and play.

The "At Work" section has tools and resources to help employers and employees create workplaces that support healthy choices and well-being.

Explore the ways that your workplace can help support healthy choices around physical activity, healthy eating and mental well-being.

At Work features these tools and resources:

• The Ideas at Work library - get practical information and links on nine components that make a healthy workplace: commitment, health and safety, culture, community involvement, physical activity, healthy eating, mental health, tobacco reduction and alcohol use. 
• The Workplace Check - an online tool for employers. Use it to check how your company may be able to improve your workplace wellness program. It's integrated with the Ideas at Work library.
• Healthy Workplaces program - a complete workplace health program, available free of charge to BC businesses through the Canadian Cancer Society - BC and Yukon. 

Why are workplaces important?

The workplace can have a big influence on our health. One reason is that we spend so much time at work. The average Canadian spends more than half their waking hours every day either being at work, or travelling to and from it.

That’s why it's important that workplaces support our own healthy choices through the creation of a health supporting environment. This doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. For example:

Ideas to create a health-supporting workplace

Benefits of healthy workplaces

Research has proven the value of healthy workplaces. Not only are employees healthier and happier, there are three key strategic business reasons to create a health-supporting workplace:

• Financial - healthy employees are more productive, and workplaces with wellness programs have reduced health care costs. 
• Organizational Profile - employers who offer a workplace health program may be more attractive to potential staff, and demonstrate corporate social responsibility 
• Legal - implementing a comprehensive workplace health program (addressing wellness, occupational health and safety, and organizational culture) demonstrates due diligence with respect to employees, customers and stakeholders.

I'm interested in workplace wellness - what should I do next?

If your workplace does not have a wellness program:

• Learn more about workplace health. Look at the various resources in the Ideas at Work library. Print a copy of the Action Plan so you can jot down ideas as you go.
• Consider making Healthy Workplaces your workplace wellness program - it provides all the tools and templates you need - plus access to a toll-free support line. Check out the website to learn more.

If your workplace already has a wellness program:

• Try the Workplace Check to see how your program could be enhanced with new components or resources. Print a copy of the Action Plan so you can jot down ideas as you go.
• Consider augmenting your program with ideas from Healthy Workplaces. This workplace wellness program provides all the tools and templates you need - plus access to a toll-free support line. Check out the website to learn more.

Related Resources and Links:

Why Being Healthy at work is Important
Your Mental Health at Work
Healthy Eating at Meetings
Physical Activity at Work
Healthy Workplace Month: Traveler's Edition