News Feature                   For Immediate Release

October 17, 2003

Ram Trophies is Walking the Talk!

Bob Morrison, Ram Trophies and Sportswear co-owner, decided to help his employees maintain a healthier lifestyle.  “We have a fitness club right next door to us and it seemed a shame that my employees could not find the time and money to use the gym.” Effective April 2003, Ram Trophies covers the cost of a gym membership and will provide work time of up to one hour per day for the employees to either use the gym or go for a walk.

“Ram Trophies is definitely a role model in this area,” states Jane Dobisz, Public Health Nurse with the Public Health Unit. “Some businesses subsidize the cost of a gym pass or recreation fees, but it is still a challenge for employees to find the time. Other employers, like Ram Trophies, have tackled this dilemma head on by allowing the staff to use work time to become physically active.”

Illness and high stress reduces productivity, creativity and risk taking and it impacts the competitive edge of a business and its bottom line.  “If an employer invests $1 toward a physical activity program for its employees, the return on the investment is anywhere between $3.40 to $6.00. Businesses see more profitability because they are not paying out money for sick time, absenteeism or higher premiums on their prescription drug benefits. It is just a matter of time to see these positive results.”

And now Ram employees no longer dislike Mondays.  Every Monday the employees go shopping together on work time and pool their resources together to buy fresh fruit and vegetables.  “It is now so easy to find something healthy to eat in the staff fridge,” states Ailsa, a 4-year employee with Ram. “My lunch used to consist of high fat snacks but now I find I eat more fruit and vegetables because they are so readily available in our fridge”

Canada’s Healthy Workplace Week is October 20^th-26^th.  Jane Dobisz hopes that more employers will take advantage of this awareness week to be creative and to try to initiate at least one strategy no matter how small, to advocate for healthier lifestyles and work culture.

“With recruitment and retention issues looming in the next five years, it is being an employer of choice that will determine who comes to work for you. Employees are looking for employers, like Bob, to provide programs that enrich their work environment and contribute to an overall healthy lifestyle. People are an organization’s most important asset.”

To learn more about the Healthy Workplace Program, contact Public Health Nurse Jane Dobisz at the Public Health Unit, 1-800-263-3456.

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For more information:

Jane Dobisz

Public Health Nurse

Public Health

376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456