The City of Windsor Wellness Program
by Hailey Goebel
The City of Windsor Wellness Program aims to invest in and improve the overall health of all City of Windsor employees, retirees and their family members.
The wellness program offers monthly initiatives to help improve physical, mental, and social well-being, including newsletters, health guides, contests, educational presentations, and more.
“Well-being is important for employee happiness and the overall health of an individual, but it is also critical for business results,” said Sarah Fox, the Ergonomist and Wellness Specialist in the Human Resources Department at The City of Windsor.
According to Fox, a workplace wellness program has the potential to increase employee engagement and job satisfaction and reduce absenteeism and rates of accidents.
“It’s a way for companies to let employees know they value their people and want to support them,” Fox said.
According to Fox, some general feedback regarding the program provided by participants include:
- Employees who have participated in past health screening events have been made aware of personal health concerns they did not know about.
- Employees credit increasing their physical activity levels and drinking more water as a direct result of joining the annual ‘Ultimate Challenge.’
- Offering on-site flu clinics helps the corporation mitigate risk by making it easier for employees to receive a flu shot and encouraging them to get it early in the flu season.
- Employees have reported gaining valuable information on various mental health topics to assist in managing potential stressors.
Fox said a personal wellness journey is about creating new habits and making changes to improve your overall lifestyle.
“The entire approach to your journey is completely unique to you,” said Fox. “You get to decide what habits, practices, and methods work best with your lifestyle and values to help you achieve those goals.”
Chad Goebel, Fleet Coordinator for Public Works Operations, emphasized the importance of workplace wellness in educating staff about maintaining or achieving a healthy lifestyle.
“In today’s high-paced and sometimes overwhelming society, it is important to try and find a healthy balance between work-life and home-life to help ensure people are the best version of themselves at all times,” Goebel said.
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