Disability Management in Practice—University of Saskatchewan: Promoting Wellness and Productivity

This case study looks at the University of Saskatchewan, which has had great success with its approach to creating a productive and healthy workforce. It sees a strong link between health and wellness, workplace culture, and employee engagement; the two latter elements are key components of the organization’s strategy to manage absenteeism. Managing health and productivity at the university starts with an integrated health and wellness team. Part of the human resources department, this team includes health and wellness professionals, human resources generalists, and the university’s employee assistance program service providers. The health and wellness team places a strong focus on early intervention, return to work, and finding the root cause of attendance issues. It also works closely with managers to help develop the skills required to identify and help employees with problems.