Gold standard - UOIT receives Healthy Workplace Award from Durham Region

For the second consecutive year, the Regional Municipality of Durham’s Health Department has recognized the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) with a Healthy Workplace Award (Gold category).

The Healthy Workplace Award recognizes workplaces in Durham Region for their efforts to support the health of their employees.

For 2015, UOIT is being honoured by the Region with a Gold Award in three categories:

• Healthy Eating*
• Physical Activity*
• Mental Health

*UOIT also won Gold Awards in these categories in 2014.

The formal presentation of the Gold Awards is expected to take place early in the new year.

“UOIT is committed to ensuring that the university is a healthy, safe and supportive place to work,” said Joanne Evans, UOIT Director of Human Resources. “We are very proud to be recognized by the Region for the second straight year. The university offers a variety of resources and programs that strive to support a positive work environment, foster healthy and engaged employees, and promote physical and emotional wellness.”

To achieve the award, a workplace must use at least two of the following four health strategies:

• Awareness Raising
• Education and Skill Building
• Environmental Support
• Healthy Policies

In 2013, UOIT’s Human Resources department created a Healthy Workplace Committee (HWC) – a team comprised of faculty and staff representatives from various departments, offices and faculties across the university. Since it was launched, in addition to driving awareness of various wellness resources, the HWC has also championed a number of initiatives to engage UOIT employees, such as:

• Carnations for Kindness
• Encouraging faculty and staff to complete the UOIT-created Mindsight program  (online educational community resource to reduce stigma of mental illness)
• Healthy Eating Calendar (proceeds to support students through the Holiday Campus Food Drive)
• Healthy Workplace Fair
• Just for the Health of It photo contest
• Promoting on-campus health and safety initiatives
• Promoting work, health and life balance
• Random Acts of Kindness Day
• Workshops and seminar on mental health awareness
• Yoga in the Park