b'EMPLOYEE WELLNESSpeopleCare provides many opportunities for team members to focus on their well-beingClose to 400 staff respondedalmost 40% ofglimpse of normality and connection like before COVID. peopleCares workforce, including about 320 frontline Another said it was the first activity that had brought a staff. The answers gave us valuable information aboutsense of fulfilment back to their day. Residents were in on where to focus our collective wellness efforts. Forthe fun as well, joining in walking challenges with staff. example, while most staff said they felt good, OK, or at least hanging in there, 22% said they werent doing well.Building on the energy and momentum created by This showed us we were on the right track in spendingthe survey and the Walk, each peopleCare home, and time and resources on employee recovery and wellness.our Leadership Support office, has identified Wellness Champions who are helping to engage other staff and Providing ongoing opportunities for employees to focus oncollaboratively plan meaningful supports.their well-being, so they feel a renewed sense of purpose and meaning as we transition forward, peopleCare alsoWhy wellness is a must-havehopes to improve satisfaction and engagement, whichpeopleCare has also begun working with workplace strengthens both recruitment and retention. wellness expert Michelle Johnston to elevate our thinking around an effective and sustainable wellness framework. In our experience, health care workers and other caregivers often overlook or put off their own physical, mental and emotional needs, says Jenn Killing, peopleCares Vice President, Quality, Research and Strategic Partnerships. We also know happy, well staff create positive resident experiences and so we absolutely want to foster a culture that supports our workforce to feelCANADIAN OWNED stronger, healthier and more resilient at work and at home. SINCE 1961Put another way, as one staff member expressed, If youCanadas Leader in Institutional and are well, you can care for others in a meaningful way." Commercial Laundry EquipmentCreating connectionsFor weeks after the survey closed, peopleCare engaged with staff across the organization to share the results and talk about how to work toward recovery and create a culture of wellness and connection. Based on these conversations and the survey resultsfor example, that staff wanted to reconnect with others and spend time outdoorspeopleCare organized a virtual Walk to Wellness as the kickoff event of Recovering Strong. It was our way of saying its time to get on a path togetherof having more fun, more joy and more focus onpersonal well-being. Over 300 employees collectively walked more than 20,000CONTACT USkilometres over a two-week period. Using an online appToll: 1-800-387-9503that enabled a vibrant shared experience, the camaraderie was inspiring as staff posted their daily activities andsales@harcoco.comwww.harcoco.com cheered each other on. One staff member said it was a www.oltca.com LONG TERM CARE TODAY 21'