The published statistics on stress spiking across the Canadian population during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic are alarming. Even today, one in two Canadians over the age of 40 has or had a mental illness, and one in four nurses reported they wanted to retire in the next three years because of unbearable stress. The escalating number of employee health issues (both physical and psychological) is driving employers to seek a more holistic approach to supporting the health and well-being of their workforces.

Today, employee well-being is at the forefront and driving a shift in the corporate view of wellness programs, from a nice box to tick on a checklist to a business essential for maintaining staff engagement, productivity, and retention.

At the vanguard of offering best-in-class on-site health services and workplace wellness programs is High Point Wellness Centre (HPWC). Through its three divisions comprising the clinic, the sports performance division, and the corporate wellness division, HPWC focuses on the treatment and prevention of common musculoskeletal injuries and delivers tailored health promotion programs for individuals, sports teams, and workplaces. Its clientele includes well-recognized Canadian brands like The Globe and Mail, Bell Media, General Mills Canada Corporation, Toronto Argonauts Football Club, and more.

HPWC offers on-site treatment and remote and in-person health seminars, and interactive health promotion programs on relevant and diverse topics like mental health, stress resiliency, healthy nutrition, musculoskeletal health, and strategies to boost energy, performance, and the immune system. Their programs are delivered by a team of dynamic and engaging clinicians and keynote speakers including registered dietitians and nurses, sports psychologists, mental health and fitness experts, chiropractors, physiotherapists, ergonomic specialists, naturopathic doctors, Olympians, and a variety of subject matter experts.

“All of our Corporate Wellness programs are customized to meet the specific needs of our clients. We take great pride in driving employee engagement and creating meaningful behavioral change. We do this by establishing trust with the people we are working with and by providing content that inspires action,” says Dr. Emily Danson, Director of Corporate Wellness, HPWC.

HPWC also provides ergonomics-related programs designed to reduce the risk of common musculoskeletal injuries and boost employees’ functional range of motion. Their focus on ergonomics goes beyond basic workstation design and healthy ergonomic principles and teaches employees how to take care of their spinal health proactively. Simultaneously, HPWC offers food demos, fitness classes, biometric screenings of blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose, and one-on-one health coaching.

At the heart of HPWC’s success is its investment in getting to know its client’s workplace culture and key objectives. Through pre-launch meetings, employee surveys, and focus group discussions, HPWC brainstorms with employee groups, managers, or union groups to study their client’s culture and evaluate what is working and where gaps may exist. This review includes an examination of existing measures and program metrics to ensure that future wellness efforts align with employee feedback and help contribute to a definition of health that fits within their client’s corporate vision and mission statement.

HPWC truly believes in the need for top-down support, not just in financing the program but also in participating with the employees. According to Danson, when senior leaders create access to practicing clinicians for their employees, it sparks honest conversations about workplace challenges, which is crucial in designing a best-fitted program.

A key example of the benefits of this methodology is the Children’s Aid Society, where 250 employees filled out a survey, which highlighted their gaps, revealed the workforce’s opinions on health programs, and helped develop a more impactful wellness program. HPWC brings a call to accountability and action by presenting a conceptual framework that links the anticipated changes in the environment to positive outcomes for employee decision-making and their changing routines. Above all, it improves employee engagement and morale by shifting the stress versus satisfaction ratio in a positive direction.
“Our corporate wellness programs are more than simple ‘lunch-and-learn’ seminars. Our content is purposefully designed to educate, inspire and motivate employees to make meaningful, realistic changes to their day-to-day routine. There is a large body of evidence demonstrating that strong health over an extended period of life is possible. We bring this science to life,” says Dr. Dwight Chapin, Clinic Director of HPWC.

Recently, HPWC assisted a major logistics company in managing their skyrocketing instances of disabling injuries due to overexertion or manual material handling. This client approached HPWC to join them as a third-party subject matter expert that can help break some barriers and educate employees on the impact of their movement on the risk of injury and quality of life. For this project, HPWC worked with the employees on the plant floor to find better and safer ways to move. After identifying the six stations with the most significant injury rate, instructional group workshops were organized and delivered on the plant floor. By the end of the collaboration, HPWC reduced material handling injuries by 18 percent, which led to substantial financial benefits for the corporation.

HPWC is carving a prominent position in corporate wellness with its multidisciplinary approach. Through direct involvement in corporate wellness program design and delivery, HPWC continues to improve employee health and satisfaction, engagement, and productivity while contributing to corporate bottom-line results.