The Ways to Wellness Workplace Challenge is a wellness campaign for workplaces in the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington region. The campaign promotes healthier habits through fun activities that encourage staff to move more, eat well and sit less at work.
This year, challenges will run in March, May and October, and are designed for workplaces that are in-office, hybrid or remote. Participation is free, and prize packs will be available for workplaces to award to participating employees, including things like gift cards, water bottles, trophies and more!
Prizes are being offered on a first come, first serve basis and while supplies last.
The Ways to Wellness Workplace Challenge can be a small first step to supporting employee health and well-being in the workplace. Interested in participating?
Boost Your Veggies and Fruit Challenge
Mar. 17 to 28.
What is the Boost Your Veggies and Fruit Challenge?
The Boost Your Veggies and Fruit Challenge is a campaign with daily challenges to boost the number of times you enjoy vegetables and fruit at work or at home. The BOOST scorecard provides a fun way to track your efforts which is the single most effective strategy for self-improvement and motivation. Track the thing you want to improve!
Why is the Boost Your Veggies and Fruit Challenge important for your workplace?
Since 2015, the proportion of Canadians reporting that they have consumed vegetables and fruits five or more times per day has been decreasing (31.5 percent in 2015, 30.0 percent in 2016, 28.6 percent 2017).
Vegetables and fruit are packed with vitamins and antioxidants, high in water and fiber, and can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers. In the workplace, veggies and fruit are healthy, convenient, refreshing, great-tasting snacks to help boost energy and concentration.
Organizing and participating in the Boost your Veggies and Fruit Challenge
Registered workplaces will receive a toolkit via email two to three weeks prior to the challenge start date. Toolkits will provide workplaces with challenge materials, descriptions and tips on how to organize activities and distribute prizes.
Move More Walking Challenge
May 5 to 16
What is the Move More Walking Challenge?
The Move More Walking Challenge is a workplace a campaign designed to promote walking both during and outside of the workday.
This campaign invites employees to team up to reach a cumulative distance goal for the month. How far can your workplace go? Complete fun challenges along the way!
Why is the Move More Walking Challenge important for your workplace?
In 2020, Canada released new 24-hour movement guidelines for adults. Per week, they recommend muscle strengthening activities at least twice (weightlifting, etc.), several hours of light physical activity (standing, etc.), and accumulating at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity (brisk walking, running, cycling, etc.). Did you know that on average, only 45 percent of Canadian adults met the recommended 150 minutes per week guideline? Females (38 percent) were less likely to meet the guideline than males (49 percent).
Increased physical activity is tied to improved bone health, cognition, quality of life and physical function. It plays a role in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, several cancers, anxiety, depression and falls!
The workplace may not be traditionally viewed as a place where physical activity, such as walking, can or should be performed. However, walking in small increments can help workers to meet the guidelines. Research shows that walking may play a role in improving creativity and other cognitive functioning, meaning that a short walking break could actually improve worker productivity!
As an employer, you can encourage workers to walk during lunch, take short walking breaks throughout the day or even facilitate walking work meetings.
Are you ready to make walking a part of the workday in the Move More Walking Challenge?
Organizing and participating in the Move More Walking Challenge
Registered workplaces will receive a toolkit via email two to three weeks prior to the challenge start date. Toolkits will provide workplaces with challenge materials, descriptions and tips on how to organize activities and distribute prizes.
Sit Less Challenge
Oct. 20 to 31
What is the Sit Less Challenge?
The Sit Less Challenge is a workplace sedentary behavior reduction campaign that has been adapted from Thunder Bay District Health Unit. It is a two-week event that promotes moving more and sitting less in the workplace through a series of sit less ‘challenges’ that are designed to help improve physical and mental well-being while building social connections at work.
Public health is providing a daily challenge calendar as well as an alternative ‘Bingo card’. Workplaces can choose to follow activities using the challenge calendar, or to distribute the Bingo card to staff to allow employees to complete tasks on whatever day works best for them. Whatever option you choose, we encourage you to try to schedule some group activities for employees to do together throughout the campaign!
Why is the Sit Less Challenge important for your workplace?
Did you know that on average, adults in Canada spend close to 10 hours of their day sedentary (e.g., sitting)? Or that fewer than 19 percent of Canadian adults meet sedentary behavior recommendations? Adults employed in office work are even less likely to meet recommendations, spending over 20 percent more time at work sedentary and taking approximately 3,500 fewer steps than other occupational groups.
This is important, as sedentary behavior has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and even premature death.
When we move more and sit less, it can help lower our risk for these outcomes and keep us healthy. It can also help reduce feelings of fatigue, lower stress levels, boost mood, and improve memory and cognition! Not to mention, engaging in group activities as a workplace can help improve morale and build social connections.
Organizing and participating in the Sit Less Challenge
Registered workplaces will receive a toolkit via email two to three weeks prior to the challenge start date. Toolkits will provide workplaces with challenge resources, instructions and tips on how to organize activities and distribute prizes.