“Modernizing your workforce starts with modernizing your HR approach.”

In today’s labour market, successful truck fleets and logistics companies know that staying abreast of the issues will help them stay ahead of the competition. Follow our “Modernizing Your HR Approach” blog series as we navigate emerging trends and share tips for finding, hiring, and retaining the talent you need.

There is a growing focus on employee health and wellness, and rightfully so. Putting wellness programs in place not only demonstrates that you care about your employees, it is shown to have direct impacts on employee productivity; reduced absenteesism, and overall job satisfaction.

Today, employers with comprehensive and modern wellness approaches are using them as part of their attraction and recruitment efforts. Let’s take a look at how you can make sure your health and wellness approach keeps you competitive in todays marketplace:

Tailored approaches

When it comes to workplace wellness, one size does not fit all. All employees have unique needs and priorities. And, while there is a lot of research pointing to the millennials desire for more flexibility, current research shows that in fact, employees from all generations value more flexibility, convenience and control over their benefits. There is also growing interest in non-conventional health services.

When is the last time you took a close look at your health and benefits plan? When is the last time you asked your employees what they value most about it?

There are options out there to help you meet the diverse and unique needs of your employees. Health spending accounts and wellness accounts are two examples that offer this type of flexibility. They give employees more choice and increased involvement in their benefits, and give employers financial flexibility too by allowing you to determine set spending amounts.

Financial health

With an increasing number of workers in our industry approaching retirement, assistance in educating and informing your employees about their financial wellness is an important consideration. The stress caused by financial worries and concerns should not be under-estimated.

Either through an employee assistance program, or other service providers – there are ways to confidentially address the financial concerns of your employees, through money management support, education, and debt counselling and retirement planning.

Nutrition

Good nutrition is a known factor in the health and wellbeing of your employees. It helps to maintain energy levels, contributes to a healthy body weight, and assists in the prevention and management of chronic disease

Many employers offer stocked driver lounges, host summer BBQ events, or provide staff lunches for special occasions. These are all opportunities for employers to promote healthy eating by offering healthy choices and options. If a healthy workplace culture is something you want to promote, then do so.

Mental health

In any given week, 500,000 employed Canadians are unable to work due to a mental health issue. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health conditions are increasingly responsible for disability claims and account for more than $6 billion in lost productivity due to absenteeism and “presenteeism.” In trucking, a worker who is on the job but not mentally present also poses a safety risk.

Making sure that employees are not chronically overworked, having policies that effectively address bullying or harassment, and ensuring that staff are equipped and trained to identify mental health issues early are important considerations.

Modern workplaces are ensuring that mental health is addressed each and every day.

Make workplace wellness an integral component of your overall HR approach. Healthy and productive employees mean a healthy and productive business.

In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health condition, and at some point all Canadians will be indirectly affected through a family member, friend, or colleague.

My family is no different. I have a sibling with mental illness, and like many of you, I know what it’s like to love and care about someone who is struggling while yearning for some support yourself. But we don’t talk about or respond to mental illness in the same way we do with other health issues.

Some of you may be aware that I had some health concerns of my own last year when I was diagnosed with cancer.

Shortly after my diagnosis, family and close friends jumped into action. They made sure my family was tended to-our fridge and freezer were always full. People I had not heard from in years reached out with offers of help and words of encouragement. Friends of my siblings (I have six, by the way) organized charity events in my name. I drew strength and hope from this new and unexpected community of support.

During this time, my sibling with mental illness was also suffering. And yet, there is no cooler on their front porch to accept offerings of food. People are not sending flowers or offering to drive them to medical appointments.

Because of the stigma attached to mental illness, many people cope in isolation.

My hope is to see the day when a mental health diagnosis receives the same attention and respect as a cancer diagnosis. Just like cancer, people suffer through treatment, and people also die from mental illness.

There is more we can do-as family, as friends, as colleagues, and as employers.

Last October, Trucking HR Canada held its’ first symposium on workplace mental health. The event was part of an initiative to help trucking and logistics employers find the resources, tools and programs they need to develop a workplace culture that values mental health.

The fact that the symposium was packed with so many HR professionals from the industry, demonstrates what an important topic this is, and tells me we need to have more conversations about mental health in the workplace.

For people living with mental health issues, the response from friends, family, co-workers and sometimes even the support system that they turn to for help is more devastating than the illness itself.

We can do more to help. Our work continues in developing practical resources for employers. In the meantime, for those who missed it, we also have videos from our symposium that can help you get the conversation started in your workplace. Feel free to visit our website or YouTube channel to learn more.

In any given week, 500,000 employed Canadians are unable to work due to a mental health issue. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health conditions are increasingly responsible for disability claims and account for more than $6 billion in lost productivity due to absenteeism and “presenteeism.” In trucking, a worker who is on the job but not mentally present also poses a safety risk.

We spend more hours at work than anywhere else, so it makes sense to say that our work environment has a significant effect on our overall mental well-being.

At Trucking HR Canada, we have established a mental health initiative to help trucking and logistics employers find the resources, tools, and programs they need to develop a better understanding of how to develop a workplace culture that values mental health.

On October 30, we will be hosting our first symposium on workplace mental health in Toronto. This half-day event will open with David Henry sharing his story as a driver who succeeded in overcoming various mental health challenges, and feature a panel discussion of subject matter experts who can provide employers with practical approaches they can bring back to their workplace.

As we prepare for this event, here are some things we have already learned:

The stigma of mental health is real

For people living with mental health issues, the stigma they experience from friends, family, co-workers, and sometimes even the support system that they turn to for help is more devastating than the illness itself. We can do more to help. We need to identify how mental health can best be incorporated into overall workplace health, safety, and HR approaches.

Prevention matters

A workplace culture that supports work-life balance, fosters effective communication, and has systems in place to support employees can prevent the development of conditions that affect a person’s ability to relate to others and function each day. Making sure that employees are not chronically overworked, having policies that effectively address bullying or harassment, and ensuring that staff are equipped and trained to identify mental health issues early are important considerations.

Do you have strategies and policies that are proactive about the mental health of your employees? Early engagement is crucial to a better outcome.

The approach needs to be comprehensive

Are you dealing with mental health issues on a case-by-case basis or do you have awareness programs, anti-stigma initiatives, and prevention initiatives that are part of an overall workplace initiative? How effectively does your employee assistance program support employees during their illness and re-entry into the workplace?

As we look for ways to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in our society and workplace, it’s important ensure that employees feel comfortable coming forward with their mental health problems and illnesses at work. And, workplaces that implement comprehensive approaches will be in a better position overall.

You can learn more about our “Gearing Up for Workplace Mental Health” symposium at truckinghr.com. Hope to see you October 30^th as the learning continues.

In an industry where the age of the workforce is higher than average and recruiting younger workers is a challenge, HR strategies that promote employee health and wellbeing can have a positive effect on your workplace and bottom line.

Employees who feel supported and enjoy their job will want to go to work and perform well. However, developing a culture that values health and wellbeing takes a proactive approach. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Culture is the base

Ensuring that health and wellness becomes part of your organizational culture involves both formal HR policies and everyday workplace practices.

The policy level involves a review of benefits plans, including disability leaves and accommodations, flexible work opportunities, compassionate care leave, etc. Take, for example, ONE for Freight, our Top Fleet Employer’s Program 2017 Top Small Fleet. They offer their company drivers and office staff paid mental health or wellness days on top of their regular sick days. They have made a conscious investment to recognize that employees need as much time off when they don’t feel well mentally as they would if they had the flu. Do your policies about health and wellness reflect the culture you want to create?

You can ask the same question about workplace practices. Offering healthy snacks in your driver lounges, encouraging employees to take their lunch breaks, promoting your Employee Assistance Program, making sure employees feel comfortable disclosing their life challenges to you, and incorporating fitness and physical activities into team-building and leadership training are ways to proactively address health and wellness.

Knowing your workforce

Your workforce demographics should inform your wellness policies and practices.

For instance, if you have routes that involve extended periods away from home, can you take steps to match those routes to drivers who want that type of work-life balance?

Innovative fleets that implement such steps are reaping the benefits of active and engaged employees. For example, Challenger Motor Freight, our Top Fleet Employer’s Program recipient of the 2017 Achievement of Excellence in Innovation, organizes “lunch and learns” for employees on topics like work-life balance and offers extensive health and wellness support to their employees through the Healthy Trucker program.

Respecting the demographics of your workforce will help you shape an approach that is relevant and valued by your employees.

Shifting health concerns

HR managers are developing health and wellness policies to manage issues they may not have planned for or confronted before.

One is mental health. In any given week, 500,000 employed Canadians are unable to work due to a mental health issue, and the cost of a disability leave is about twice the cost of a leave due to physical illness. And a U.S. study showed that truck drivers are more prone to depression and anxiety than other occupations due to the time alone and away from home.

A comprehensive mental health and wellness policy should also address training managers and other employees to recognize these issues. It sends a clear message to your employees that their mental wellbeing matters to you.

Another health issue for HR managers is the increasing rate of cancer diagnoses among employees.

Recent studies show that Canadians 50 years of age and over account for nearly 90% of all cancer diagnoses. Keeping in mind that the average age of a Canadian truck driver is 49, chances are high that your employees or their loved ones will face a cancer diagnosis. A cancer diagnosis, should they choose to disclose it, will affect their colleagues as well.

How you handle medical issues of your employees-from explaining their care and benefits to managing the impact their absence might have on productivity and morale-should be an important part of your plan.

Communication

As with everything in HR, a plan only works when everyone knows what it is. Anchor your health and wellness approach by including specific policies and procedures in your HR strategy. Communicate them to all employees (prospective and current). They need to know what they are, what is available to them, and that they will be supported.

At a time when the industry is struggling to attract and retain a skilled workforce, it simply makes sense that you also ensure a healthy workforce.