For Immediate Release
November 25, 2015
Canadian organizations recognized for investing in employee wellness
GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards presented to three industry leaders
(TORONTO, ON) – Three Canadian organizations received awards today for their commitment to health and wellness in the workplace. The GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards are given to organizations that demonstrate significant efforts to foster cultures of workplace wellness through continuous improvement in fitness, activity, nutrition, education, and employee behavioral change.
Winners include John Brooks Company Limited (Mississauga), Atlantic Lottery Corporation (Moncton), and FGL Sports Ltd. (Calgary).
“These organizations have experienced incredible results thanks to their dedicated efforts to introduce corporate wellness programs in a strategic way. They consistently demonstrate best practices when it comes to delivering fitness programs, offering opportunities for eating well and reinforcing positive workplace culture,” said David Patchell-Evans, GoodLife Founder & CEO. “Once you make wellness part of your strategic plan, performance and employee morale inevitably improves.”
The award recognizes four aspects of workplace wellness programs – Leadership, Culture & Engagement, Rewards & Recognition, and Personal Growth – and celebrates organizational initiatives across all sectors and sizes in Canada.
JOHN BROOKS COMPANY LIMITED
John Brooks Company is a Canadian distributor and solution provider, specializing in industrial pumps, spraying equipment, filtration products, valves, pressure wash and components, and construction equipment – with facilities in Mississauga, Laval and Edmonton.
With nearly seven out of every 10 employees over 40, and most spending a great deal of their days sitting behind a desk or driving, management recognized an opportunity to help its employees achieve better balance.
The Company introduced a corporate wellness program focused on nutrition, physical wellbeing, stress reduction, immunity improvement, financial wellbeing and time management. Based on employee input, the customized program includes daily ‘get moving’ breaks, mini Olympic events, gym and Fitbit subsidy, lunchtime workouts and educational wellness workshops. Nearly all employees have participated in the program and many confirm they have made positive changes to their lifestyles.
“Since implementing a wellness program, we’ve found employees who are consciously making an effort to lead active and healthier lives benefit physically, cognitively and emotionally,” said Heather Collis, General Manager, John Brooks Company Limited. “Any employee who enjoys coming to work and feels their employer supports them is more likely to develop a stronger sense of self-efficacy, be more engaged in their job and have higher motivation – all which can drastically influence job performance and reduce occupational stress.”
Atlantic Lottery
Atlantic Lottery delivers safe and regulated lottery and gambling entertainment to adult Atlantic Canadians. With 600 employees across the region, Atlantic Lottery saw the value in encouraging a healthier lifestyle.
The Wellness in Numbers (WIN) program was introduced in 2011. Employees who choose to be part of the WIN program have access to an onsite wellness coach, visiting nurses, metrics and health risk assessments, unlimited access to onsite fitness classes and gym, flu shot clinics, interest-free loans on fitness equipment and more.
The program has been successful; participation has risen from 42 per cent to 58 per cent of employees and reports of positive personal health and wellbeing have increased 20 per cent.
“We’re committed to creating a workplace culture of health & wellness,” said Alison Stultz, Vice President, People, Atlantic Lottery. “By supporting a healthier lifestyle with our employees – and by extension their families – we’re encouraging them to reach their potential by being happier, healthier, and more productive at work.”
FGL Sports Ltd.
FGL Sports Ltd. is Canada’s largest national retailer of sporting goods, offering a comprehensive assortment of brand-name and private-brand products and operating more than 400 stores from coast to coast, under the following corporate and franchise banners: Sport Chek, Sports Experts, Atmosphere, National Sports, Intersport, Hockey Experts, Pro-Hockey Life, Sports Rousseau and L’entrepôt du Hockey.
With sports and activity at the core of its business, FGL Sports has created an environment where employees across the organization are encouraged to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Access to gym facilities, a wellness coach, free workout classes and funding to become certified coaches, are a few of the initiatives in place for employees to live better and inspire sponsorships.
“FGL Sports has a culture of results focused, high-performers that are passionate about sports and being active,” said Chad McKinnon, Chief Operating Officer, FGL Sports Ltd. “Our shared passion for sports and activity connects us as a team and to customers in our communities. Sport and activity are in our DNA so we promote a work/life balance environment.”
For more information about the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards, please visit www.glfwellness.com .
About GoodLife Fitness
Proudly Canadian since 1979, GoodLife Fitness is the largest fitness club chain in Canada and the fourth largest in the world. With over 350 clubs from coast-to-coast, including GoodLife Fitness, Énergie Cardio, Fit4Less by GoodLife and ÉconoFitness Clubs, approximately 14,400 employees and more than 1.2 million Members, GoodLife is helping to transform the health and wellness of 1 in 30 Canadians every day.
Media Contacts:
Amanda Copithorne
Marketing & Public Relations Manager, GoodLife Fitness
403-589-1027
acopithorne@goodlifefitness.com
Holly Dunn
Dunn & Associates Communications and Public Affairs
902-266-3866
holly.dunn@dunnassociates.ca
