The Healthy Workplace Initiatives Program (HWIP) is an annual fund available to UBC departments and units to support grassroots activities that promote wellbeing in the workplace.
About the Healthy Workplace Initiatives Program (HWIP)
The program provides start-up funds and support for health-related, sustainable initiatives. You can apply for funding for programs that include yoga or fitness classes, building a community garden or investing in mental health training in your workplace.
Applications for 2020 funding are now closed
Successful applications
Successful applications will be selected using a lottery system. All applicants will be notified within two weeks of the application deadline. Priority will be given to departments and units who did not receive funding in the previous round.
Each department may submit one application per year and successful applications are selected on a lottery basis until the available funding has been used up.
If your department is approved for Healthy Workplace Initiative funding, you must use the funds within one year.
The fund is based on a reimbursement model. All successful departments will need to cover the cost of the initiatives upfront and then submit receipts for reimbursement.
There are three steps to the application process:
- Select one of the funding options below.
2. Complete the online application form
3. Submit senior leader sign off (you will receive a confirmation email containing instructions).
Making the case to your department?
If you are looking for information for supervisors or managers to support an application for a healthy workplace initiative, we’re here to help! See below for helpful tools and resources.
Making the Case for Managers (to help senior leaders understand the benefits of participation)
Evidence to support workplace health initiatives
Access your units Workplace Experience Survey data
Congratulations to the 44 departments and units who will be rolling out health and wellbeing programs in 2020!
2020 Funding Recipients
| Department or unit | Worksite | Initiative |
| Allard School of Law External Relations Team | Point Grey | Team Health challenge |
| Animal Care Services | Point Grey | Nutrition and Healthy Eating |
| Arts Development & Alumni Engagement Department | Point Grey | Yoga/fitness |
| Arts First-Year Programs | Point Grey | Innovative New Idea |
| Athletics and Recreation | Point Grey | Mental Health Training |
| Campus Security | Point Grey | Healthy Eating |
| Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm | Point Grey | Team Health Challenge |
| Civil Engineering | Point Grey | Innovative New Idea |
| Dental Clinic | Point Grey | Yoga/Fitness Classes |
| Department of Family Practice | Point Grey | Mental Health Training |
| Department of Pediatrics | Women and Children’s Hospital | Innovative New Idea |
| Department of Sociology | Point Grey | Community Garden |
| Department of Zoology | Point Grey | Yoga/fitness |
| Development and Alumni Engagement | Point Grey | Mental Health Training |
| Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education | Point Grey | Art and Creative Expression |
| Engineering Student Services, Applied Science Dean’s Office | Point Grey | Innovative New Idea |
| Enrolment Services – Student Support & Advising | Point Grey | Mental Health Training |
| Faculty of Arts, Development & Alumni Engagement | Point Grey | Yoga/fitness |
| Faculty of Medicine, Evaluation Studies Unit, Office of Education | Point Grey | Innovative New Idea |
| Faculty of Medicine, Office of the Executive Associate Dean, Education | Point Grey | Yoga/fitness |
| Faculty of Medicine/Faculty Affairs | Point Grey | Mental Health Training |
| Health and Wellness | Okanagan | Innovative New Idea |
| Human Resources, Workplace Health Services | Okanagan | Yoga/fitness |
| Indigenous Research Support Initiative | Point Grey | Mental Health Training |
| Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries | Point Grey | Community Garden |
| Institutional Programs Office | Point Grey | Team Health Challenge |
| Internal Communications | Point Grey | Art and Creative Expression |
| Media Relations | Point Grey | Nutrition and Healthy Eating |
| Office of Research Services | Point Grey | Nutrition and Healthy Eating |
| Office of the Vice-President, Health / UBC Health | Point Grey | Team Health Challenge |
| Office of Vice President, Research and Innovation | Point Grey | Team Health Challenge |
| Pension Administration Office | Point Grey | Innovative New Idea |
| Postgraduate Family Practice Residency Program | Point Grey | Yoga/fitness |
| Psychology | Point Grey | Community garden |
| Research Finance | Point Grey | Nutrition and Healthy Eating |
| School of Biomedical Engineering | Point Grey | Community Garden |
| School of Public Policy and Global Affairs | Point Grey | Innovative New Idea |
| Southern Medical Program | Okanagan hospital site | Yoga/fitness |
| Strategy and Decision Support | Point Grey | Team Health Challenge |
| The Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies | Point Grey | Art and Creative Expression |
| UBC Press | Point Grey | Nutrition and Healthy Eating |
| UBC Department of Psychiatry | Women and Children’s Hospital | Mental Health Training |
| UBC Sauder School of Business | Point Grey | Mental Health Training |
| Vancouver Summer Program | Point Grey | Nutrition and Healthy Eating |
| Vice-Provost International – St. John’s College and Vancouver Summer Program | Point Grey | Arts and Creative Expression |
| VPRI Budget Team | Point Grey | Mental Health Training |
Investing in workplace health is a sound investment. Studies show the following benefits of workplace health initiatives:
- Physical exercise, actively working on time management and increased social time help improve occupation stress (particularly among faculty). [1]
- Active promotion of physical activity and health-related activities in the workplace reduces absenteeism and increases the overall mental health of employees. [2] [3]
- In Canada, the majority of workplace health programs aim to improve outcomes related to employee stress, work-life balance and depression. [4]
- Top priorities in Canadian workplaces include 1) developing workplace cultures where individuals are responsible for their health and 2) improving the mental health of employees. [5]
Office of Faculty Development
How HWIP funding is helping groups at UBC“This has been a great initiative. As well as consciously walking more, I have changed my eating habits, joined a gym and lost 14 pounds. I intend to keep this up.” – Office of the Dean of Arts“Everyone was in a much better mood and it was nice to get out of the office. I also appreciated going to a class with co-workers rather than doing something on my own.“ – Loralie Hettler, Accounts Receivable Coordinator, Conferences and Accommodation
UBC IT Yoga Club. Check out this video of the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility’s Hip to be Fit Program, Video by UBC’s Healthy Workplace Initiative Program.https://vimeo.com/105065952
Sign up for the monthly Healthy UBC e-Newsletter to stay informed about HWIP criteria and application deadlines.
For more information please contact Truelove Twumasi, Workplace Wellbeing Programs Specialist: t.twumasi@ubc.ca, 604 827 2350
[1] Arabia, S., Kokash, H. & Arabia, S. Faculty Perception of Stress and Coping Strategies in a Saudi Private University?: An Exploratory Study. Can. Cent. Sci. Educ. 4, 137–149 (2011).
[2] Bhui, K. S., Dinos, S., Stansfeld, S. A. & White, P. D. A Synthesis of the Evidence for Managing Stress at Work: A Review of the Reviews Reporting on Anxiety, Depression, and Absenteeism. J. Environ. Public Health 2012, 1–21 (2012).
[3] Chu, A. H. Y., Koh, D., Moy, F. M. & Muller-Riemenschneider, F. Do workplace physical activity interventions improve mental health outcomes? Occup. Med. (Chic. Ill). 64, 235–245 (2014).
[4] Buck Consultants, Working Well: A Global Survey Of Health Promotion And Workplace Wellness Strategies. 2009. Print. Executive Summary.
[5] Towers Watson, Trends And Directions On Workforce Health And Productivity. 2014. Print. 2013/2014 Staying at Work Survey.