Successfully supporting employee well-being requires a strong foundation and a shared sense of ownership. A one-size fits-all approach to wellness doesn’t make sense when people are at different stages of their journey with constantly evolving needs.
For more than 60-years, OMERS purpose-driven organization has built a culture that places people first. Rooted in values and a collective commitment to empower employees to make an impact, this is a workplace where people thrive. They feel included, can grow and develop, and have a sense of balance thanks to genuine support for their well-being.
Like so many other organizations, in addition to a global reach and diversity of roles, OMERS and Oxford Properties have five generations in the workplace who must be represented in its holistic wellness strategy encompassing physical, emotional, financial and social elements.
Taking the first step
A 2022 study published by Great Place to Work and Johns Hopkins University found that promoting employee well-being requires consistent listening and measuring.
“OMERS and Oxford's journey has been guided by asking employees the right questions, prioritizing action, measuring impact and adapting,” says Dr. Nancy Nazer, OMERS CHRO. “In fact, it was our global team who told us they needed wellness at work to move beyond just the physical.”
The organization was an early adopter when it came to measuring employees’ wellness needs. It added a series of questions to its annual experience survey of ~3,000 global employees to quantify feedback and track year-over-year impact. The index was adopted by its survey provider and shared with their global client roster, creating best-in-class benchmarks.
Who is responsible for wellness?
One person or team cannot own wellness. It’s a shared responsibility between an organization, its leaders and people.
Organizations create the infrastructure
At OMERS the integration of its wellness infrastructure via a wealth of programs, resources and benefits has created a long-lasting commitment that supports current and future employees. Dr. Nazer and her team strategically implement employee feedback in partnership with OMERS Chief Medical Officer, Dr. James Aw. “Including the right experts in decision-making ensures we can deliver and scale global solutions that are highly relevant at local levels,” she shares. “We also monitor metrics like burn-out rates, utilization of programs and cultural impact.”
Leaders model behaviour
Tone at the top matters. Modellng behaviour matters. Leaders must prioritize their own wellness to ensure they’re fully showing up for their team. This critical step creates capacity to take on the emotional labour required to see and support their teams — to help them thrive. OMERS leaders annually participate in training on Supporting Employee Mental Health. This investment creates long-term value, ensuring everyone feels supported and confident bringing their authentic selves to work. Knowing what gets measured gets done, these efforts and more create the conditions for OMERS to effectively quantify its impact; all leaders receive a team wellness index which connects to their annual performance scorecards.
Employees own their journey
“Wellness is a journey of developing self-acceptance, positive relations with others, autonomy, mastery, personal growth and purpose,” shares Dr. Aw. “It takes patience, hard work and a positive attitude to become the expert on you.”
When it comes to curating their employee experience at OMERS and Oxford, employees are empowered to choose their own adventure. “We offer a diverse array of programs and resources for employees to select — from community connection via our employee resource groups, a wellness resource hub, preferred gym membership pricing arrangements or health benefits, like a parental leave program with a gradual return to ease the transition — there is something for everyone," says Dr. Nazer.
Choose a workplace that cares about your well-being
Where you work can be one of the most important health decisions you will make in your life.
OMERS and Oxford’s shared ownership model has created an environment where employees are thriving. 93% are proud to work for the organization. Employees sense of work-life balance has increased by 10% points since they started tracking this metric four years ago. OMERS and Oxford have also been recognized as one of the Best Workplaces for Mental Wellness for a second year in a row.
“Extraordinary results always require extraordinary efforts by extraordinary teams,” said Blake Hutcheson, OMERS President and CEO. “We genuinely work hard every day to create a safe and inclusive working environment where people can develop a rewarding, purposeful and successful career.”
GPTW has been a champion of this crucial topic through award recognition and informative webinars. To learn more about OMERS journey please listen to Dr. Nazer’s virtual chat with Alison Grenier, GPTW’s Head of Culture and Research: A Holistic Approach to Employee Well-Being With OMERS (youtube.com).
