corporate wellness

In 2006, the TELUS Wellness team continued its focus on enhancing team member health awareness and personal health decisions by providing comprehensive wellness programs and leveraging the integration of the wireline and wireless wellness programs.

Key 2006 wellness initiatives included a continued partnership with Pfizer to facilitate the Know your Numbers sessions, which focus on managing chronic disease risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass index and waist-weight ratios. TELUS also facilitated on-site flu vaccination clinics and nutrition counselling.

TELUS opened a new wellness centre in Burnaby, B.C., in November 2006, complementing centres already operating in other B.C. locations and in Alberta, Toronto and Quebec. These centres deliver an array of wellness programs that focus on physical and emotional well-being. Programs include massage therapy, physiotherapy, nutrition and chiropractic services, as well as yoga, pilates and meditation.

Corporate health services

Helping team members who have suffered an illness or injury requiring time away from work is a priority for the TELUS occupational health professionals and advisors. Through the use of disability best practices and graduated or modified return-to-work programs, TELUS health services play a key role in the safe and timely return of team members to the workplace.

The occupational health team monitors health trends in the Canadian general population and within the TELUS organization to ensure that important trends are identified and appropriate health interventions are developed. The World Health Organization has estimated that by 2020 depression and mental health related illnesses will be the second most common cause of disability in the developed world. To proactively understand and address this important workplace health issue, TELUS contracted the expertise of an occupational health psychiatrist in 2006 to assist in the management of complex mental health disabilities, and to provide the most up-to-date information on mental health disability prevention and its treatment.

Employee and family assistance program (EFAP) - EFAP continues to support the overall TELUS wellness strategy. In addition to providing counselling and crisis intervention for TELUS team members and their families, the TELUS EFAP facilitates a variety of training courses, such as stress and time management and conflict resolution. Work/life solutions are also available through EFAP, including proactive lifestyle support in eldercare, nutrition, finance and resiliency coaching.