Healthier Work Recognition Scheme Guidelines

Healthier Work Recognition Scheme Guidelines

Healthier Work | who we are

Healthier Work is a free ACT Government service establishedto help ACT employers create healthier workplaces for their staff. Healthier Work has a range of tools and resources to help you and one of our team can visit your workplace to help you tailor a health and wellbeing program to suit the individual needs of yourworkplace.

The Healthier Work Recognition Scheme

Businessesthat are committed to creating a healthier environment for their staff deserve to be recognised. Healthier Work has developed the Healthier Work Recognition Scheme, to acknowledge and reward Canberra businesses who are committed to the workplace health and wellbeing journey.

To become Healthier Work Recognised, workplaces work with their Healthier Work Industry Advisor to create a 12 month health and wellbeing plan. Recognised workplaces are presented with a framed certificate signed by the Work Safe Commissioner. Healthier Work will also promote your business through the Healthier Work website, our newsletter, social media and other promotional activities as they arise.

Who can apply to become recognised?

The Recognition Scheme is available to any workplace in the ACT.

Workplaces must have had a visit from Healthier Work in the 6 months prior to applying for the Healthier Work Recognition Scheme.

Workplaces will also need to commit to a 12month health and wellbeing plan, using the Healthier Work 12 Month Plan Template. (See - Creating Your 12 Month Plan on Page 3).

Workplaces that have been issued with any infringement or prohibition notices under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011 (ACT) or the Workers Compensation Act 1951 in the last three years are not eligible to apply for the Recognition Scheme.

Please call 6207 1692 or email if you would like to arrange a workplace visit.

How to Apply

Workplaces are encouraged to utilize the expertise of the Healthier Work Team to help you create a 12 Month Plan that will benefit your staff and workplace, as well as ensuring it can beapproved for the Recognition Scheme without delay.

To be Recognised, your workplace will need to measure the success of your program using the short Healthier Work Pre-Program Questionnaire. The Pre-Program Questionnaire will need to be submitted with your application form. The Post-Program Questionnaire will need to be submitted on completion of your program.

Once your 12 Month Plan is approved by Healthier Work, we will arrange a time with you to present the Recognition Certificate, take a photo and have the 12 month plan signed off by the CEO.

Creating Your 12 Month Plan

To be eligible for the Recognition Scheme, workplaces will need to complete a plan outlining their health and wellbeing activities for a year using the Healthier Work 12 Month Plan Template and have it approved by Healthier Work.

The Healthier Work 12 Month Plan Template is based around the four seasons and will help workplaces to focus their attention on specific health areas over the course of three month blocks throughout the year.

Plans must focus on at least three of Healthier Work’s five health priority areas:

Increased physical activity

Healthier eating

Smoking reduction/cessation

Improved social and emotional wellbeing

Reduction of harmful alcohol consumption

The Healthier Work team can work with you to make sure your plan complies with our requirements and to walk you through the following steps.

Step 1

Focus your energy in three month seasonal blocks over the year

Season / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Spring

Step 2

Ask your staff which health priority area they would like the plan to focus on

Choose one health priority area to focus on for each season (at least three different health priority areas must be targeted over the year)

Season / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Spring
Health
area / Healthy Eating / Social and Emotional / Smokefree / Physical Activity

Step 3

Decide ontwo“Healthy People Strategies” for each season.

Healthy People Strategies focus on encouraging and supporting staff to adopt healthy lifestyles (e.g. organising health related talks or information sessions).

Step 4

Decide on one “Healthy Place Strategy” for each season.

Healthy Place Strategies aim to create a workplace environment that supports healthy lifestyle behaviours (e.g. changing vending machines to stock healthier options).

Season / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Spring
Health
area / Healthy Eating / Social and Emotional / Smokefree / Physical Activity
People
strategy
1 / Put up healthy eating posters around the workplace. / Promote telephone support services throughout the workplace. / Provide information about quit smoking support services. / Promote the use of stairs instead of the lifts.
People
strategy
2 / Host a seminar with a qualified nutritionist. / Encourage employees to join local recreation and community clubs and activities. / Subsidise nicotine replacement therapy for employees and family members. / Hold a walking challenge.
Place
strategy
1 / Remove the biscuits and lolly jar and replace with healthier options. / Encourage employee recognition for exceptional efforts. / Workers not to smoke while wearing the company uniform. / 15 minutes work time to supplement 15 minutes of break time to be physically active.

Step 5

Once you have decided on the activities you will conduct each season, complete the Seasonal Planning pages for each season detailing what actions need to be taken to implement each activity, including timeframes and monitoring strategies.

Seasonal Planner – Summer – Healthy Eating
What / Steps to take / Person responsible / When / How’s it going
Organise a seminar or question and answer session with a
dietitian or qualified nutritionist. / Contact service providers who can deliver the seminar. / John / 16 Jan /

How many people attended?
Was much encouragement needed to have staff attend?
What was the feedback like after the seminar?

Have you noticed any changes in staff attitudes post seminar?

Find the best day/time for maximum participation. / John / 20 Jan
Promote the session; invite workers household members where appropriate. / John / 20 Jan– 13Feb

Contact Details

For further information about the Recognition Scheme or to book a visit with a Healthier Work Industry Advisor please contact us on the details below.

 6207 1692

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