Active Living Success Stories: Case Studies

• The 7 Qualities of Highly Successful Programs
• Canadian Labour & Business Centre Workplace Health Initiative Highlights

This section summarizes the case histories of Canadian organizations that have successfully introduced physical activity in and around the workplace. As well, it features the common principles that these organizations say contributed to the success of these active living strategies.

These workplace programs were chosen to demonstrate that active living at work can manifest in a host of different ways, and for many different reasons.

Similarly, this section demonstrates that active living programs in Canada occur in every kind of organization, in every industry, in every size of organization (no matter how small), and in every province.

The 7 Qualities of Highly Successful Programs

In the process of compiling these case studies, we were struck by the similarities in the principles that each organization used to develop its programs.

As a consequence, there seem to be some common principles that are critical to the success and longevity of active living programs.

These features can be captured in the following 'seven qualities of highly successful programs':

• Leadership commitment - essential to any initiative
• Employee involvement - employees need to be viewed as stakeholders in the management of their own health
• Clear purpose - successful programs set their focus on something powerful and positive
• Integrated effort- successful programs have a plan
• Support structure - successful programs have professional leadership and a solid infrastructure in place
• Cultural context - successful programs include cultural areas of influence including rewards and recognition, communications, orientation, and training and development
• Measured outcomes - successful programs measure outcomesand report the results to management and to staff

Canadian Labour & Business Centre Case Studies

The Canadian Labour and Business Centre published a series of case studies of successful Workplace Health Initiatives in 2002

Twelve Case Studies on Innovative Workplace Health Initiatives: Summary of Key Conclusions:

• Dofasco Inc. established a company fitness and recreation centre and initiated smoking cessation, weight loss, nutrition and exercise programs.
  Results: Between 1991 and 2001, Dofasco saw its lost time injury rates fall by 66%. WSIB premium rates fell by 63%, and musculoskeletal injuries fell by 70%.
• American Express Canada utilizes ergonomic office equipment, provides a workplace fitness facility, and has initiated programs for smoking cessation, weight loss, nutrition and exercise.
  Results: Employee satisfaction increased between 1998 and 2000, and attrition rates fell from 40% to 23%. Satisfaction rates significantly exceeded industry averages. The company has been rated as one of the 'Top 25 to work for' in Canada.
• Moose Jaw -Thunder Creek Health District stresses ergonomic workplace equipment and practices, offers a gym membership subsidy, and implements smoking cessation, weight loss, nutrition and exercise programs.
  Results: Employee sick days and accident rates declined between 1997 and 2001.
• Irving Paper offers ergonomic workstations and ergonomics training. Furthermore, Irving provides on on-site fitness facility as well as a series of sports teams and other events encouraging physical activity. Active commuting is encouraged, and healthy options are provided in the cafeteria.
  Results: Short-term disability costs fell by over 50% between 1995 and 2000. The total short-term disability savings accrued were $800,000. Worker' Compensation Board (WCB) monthly costs were reduced by 60%. Between 1992 and 2000, the number of grievances fell by almost 80%. Employees report higher levels of job satisfaction, morale, and an increased sense of control in the workplace.
• Vancouver Shipyards provides an on-site gym and steam room, access to a personal trainer, a physiotherapist, and a rehabilitation specialist.
  Results: Between 1998 and 2001, Worker' Compensation Board (WCB) claims were reduced by 70%.
• The City of Regina Transit Department offers gym membership subsidies, as well as smoking cessation, weight loss, nutrition and exercise programs.
  Results: Between 1993 and 2000, lost-time Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) claims fell from 597 to 337 days, resulting in savings of $500,000.