Healthy workplace

Accountable to the APHR, the Healthy Workplace Steering Committee will ensure the establishment, maintenance and evaluation of a Healthy Workplace Plan for the University. The Healthy Workplace Plan will use as its model the framework for healthy workplace as developed by Excellence Canada, feedback from employee surveys, and priorities as established through the Strategic Plan’s Robust Employer-Employee Relationship theme.

This framework will consist of four elements:

  • Workplace culture and supportive environment
  • Health and lifestyle practices
  • Psychological health and wellness in the workplace
  • Physical environment and occupational health and safety

The Healthy Workplace Statement

In accordance with its philosophy of caring for the individual, and as part of its responsibility to the community in which it resides, the University strives to enhance employee social, emotional, spiritual, physical and psychological health, safety and the quality of their lives. The University strives to achieve its goal of a healthy, sustainable work environment.

See the full statement on the Healthy Workplace website.

Objectives of the Healthy Workplace Steering Committee

  1. Develop a vision of healthy workplace for the University of Waterloo that is aligned with the university’s vision, mission, and values.
  2. Develop and implement a 2016-18 Healthy Workplace Plan for the University of Waterloo.
  3. Use Excellence Canada’s framework for workplace wellness to establish clear goals, timelines and outcome measures.
  4. Identify those healthy workplace initiatives and programs that are relevant to the employee and student populations.
  5. Plan, implement and evaluate initiatives to address priority health and wellness issues and needs.
  6. Collaborate with other individuals or groups that share the common interest of workplace and organizational health.
  7. Encourage employee participation in healthy workplace initiatives.

Committee membership

  • Katrina Di Gravio, Organizational and Human Development (Chair)
  • Patricia Barlow, Federation of Students
  • Linda Brodgen, Occupational Health
  • Jay Dolmage, Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW)
  • Michelle Hollis, Human Resources
  • Lee Margaret Hornberger, Human Resources - EFAP
  • University of Waterloo Staff Association – TBA
  • Travis Milmine, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
  • Ashley Ryan, Graduate Student Association (GSA)

Find out more about Healthy Workplace at Waterloo.