Goodwin now has a gold trophy award from Healthier Work ACT for our employee health and wellbeing plan that is supported by senior management and actively communicated to staff.
“Goodwin achieved this gold status from Healthier Work ACT as they have maintained a health and wellbeing plan in their workplace for three consecutive years,” says Michael Shaw from Healthier Work ACT.
“Healthier Work began due to the increase of chronic disease in Australia. The modifiable risk factors causing the greatest disease burden are tobacco smoking, alcohol misuse, poor diet, physical inactivity, and unhealthy weight. As major contributors to chronic disease, these risk factors lead to reduced productivity and participation in the workforce and the community.”
With the help of Healthier Work ACT, Goodwin has developed a comprehensive wellness calendar with planned activities throughout the year for staff to participate in if they wish, covering a wide range of topics such as smoking cessation, healthy eating, physical activity, reduction of risky alcohol consumption, and mental health and wellbeing.
Goodwin actively promotes wellbeing activities and staff benefits on the intranet via news items, through managers in their interactions with staff and at staff meetings, as well as promoting the Employee Assistance Program and Wellness Calendar during staff induction.
Goodwin have onsite health and wellbeing facilities with staff access to food preparation areas, onsite shower facilities and a plan in place to install bike racks for employees in 2018. An in-house physiotherapist provides ergonomic assessments and professional recommendations to staff for appropriate equipment and ergonomics as well as postural guidance tailored to individual needs.
Goodwin promotes a range of external services such as Nutrition Australia ACT with organised seminars by the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Cancer Council. Staff are encouraged to participate in a range of external activities for instance, The Canberra Times Fun Run and Dry July. Goodwin has sponsored the Alzheimer’s Australia Memory Walk and Jog in Canberra every year which gets great staff participation.
“Goodwin has an annual employee survey on general working conditions, focus groups and other forms of staff feedback and workplace audits to continually improve all aspects of the workplace for employees,” says Pauline Hugler, Goodwin’s Executive Manager People and Culture.
“A yearly staff survey on possible future ideas as well as the successes of the past year’s wellbeing program is undertaken to gauge interest in activities for the upcoming year, and to allow employees to anonymously express their ideas and suggestions for wellbeing activities.”
Goodwin’s main cohort of employees includes carers who work different shifts across a 24/7 roster at Goodwin villages and in the Canberra community.
“The program is tailored to meet the range of needs, interests, knowledge levels and participation capabilities of our staff, considering working hours, job types, gender, age and abilities and includes some initiatives for family members. Flexible working arrangements to enable participation are provided where feasible and participation rates are generally high,” says Pauline.
“Goodwin has partnered with Anytime Fitness to provide a discount to employees and their immediate family members to promote the importance of physical health,” says Pauline.
“It can be difficult to coordinate times that suit all employees to access the wellness calendar so we hope the introduction of the discounted gym membership will allow staff and family members to enjoy health benefits at times that are convenient. Goodwin’s Health and Wellbeing Coordinator is currently looking at more community partnerships to support Goodwin employees,” says Pauline.
Goodwin receives gold trophy award from Healthier Work ACT
Goodwin employees with Michael Shaw from Healthier Work ACT