Champions as social agents of change: what can we learn from worker well-being initiatives?
NOW RECRUITING
Are you a workplace wellness/well-being champion? Have you promoted workplace well-being initiatives in the past three years, ranging from mental health, exercise or wellness programs or events to policy changes that make it easier for workers to balance their health with family and work?
If your answer is yes, we want to hear from you. We are looking to interview Canadians who have experience championing or promoting workplace wellbeing initiatives, to learn more about their success stories and challenges and to identify best practices to promote employee engagement in worker wellbeing practices.
If you are interested in participating or would like to learn more about the study, please complete our short survey: https://iwhca.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3EgZ5d1cmqXJjuu.
Reasons for the study
Worker well-being initiatives are underused in Canada despite their sizeable productivity and employee well-being benefits. Organizations are often challenged with trying to find ways to encourage the participation of employees, particularly those who may be resistant or ambivalent
to change. Increasing evidence has suggested that harnessing the enthusiasm, advocacy, and interpersonal relationships of “champions” (people who champion and act as supportive and enthusiastic voices for new corporate practices) can help build trust and gain support from their colleagues.
Objectives of the study
- Understand who identifies as someone championing worker well-being initiatives at their organization, why and how they adopted this role, and the perceptions of champions in attempting to effect change in existing corporate practices
- Examine the positive and negative experiences of individuals championing worker well-being among their colleagues, particularly experiences with colleagues who are ambivalent or resistant to participating in these initiatives
Target audience
Organizations seeking to support worker well-being strategies
Project status
Ongoing
Research team
Collaborators and partners
Dr. Graham Lowe (Graham Lowe Group)
Funded by
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)