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Events, Initiatives and Training

Healthy us. Healthy campus. Rise and thrive at Ontario Tech.

Your Human Resources health and wellness supports and services, including the Healthy Workplace Committee are committed to providing the university community with opportunities to engage in activities that promote employee optimal health and well-being. Check out this web page often for updates on offerings that support a holistic approach to building a healthier workplace. 

Do you have an idea for an event, speaker or initiative? The Healthy Workplace Committee welcomes your input, email wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca.

Current and Upcoming

  • Puzzle Lending Program Available as of November 1st

    We’ve heard that puzzles bring teams together, to socially connect and work toward a common, fun goal, so we are launching Ontario Tech Puzzles, a puzzle lending program!  Images that represent Ontario Tech have been turned into puzzles and are now available for you/your colleagues to borrow and complete.

    Please visit the Puzzle Lending Program web page to view the available puzzles and request a puzzle today!

  • Crucial Conversations for Managers/Directors: November 10 - 14 (Full)

    This training is now full.  If you are interested in completing Crucial Conversations, please email hrtraining@ontariotechu.ca to have your name placed on a waiting list.  Thank you.

    When it comes to the health of relationships, teams, and organizations, one thing affects everything: communication. Backed by 30 years of social science, Crucial Conversation skills represent the standard in effective communication. Improve your skills and get better outcomes by attending a training course.

    The communication skills taught in this training focus on a specific kind of interaction: those when stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. This is not a course on winning friends or winning people to your way of thinking; it’s about strengthening relationships and securing results in the moments that matter most.

    This course teaches nine powerful skills for working through disagreement to achieve better resources: Get unstuck, Master my stories, Start with heart, State my path, Make it safe, Learn to look, Seek mutual purpose, Explore others’ paths, and Move to action.

    Crucial Conversations: Managers/Directors

    • Date: Monday, November 10, 2025 to Friday November 14, 2025 (2.5 hours x 5 days)
    • Time: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
    • Location: Virtual
    • Target Audience: Managers/Directors
      Note: Participants must attend all dates to receive their certificate.

    REGISTER 

  • Mental Health First Aid: Wednesday, November 12 (FULL)

    This training is now full.  If you are interested in completing Mental Health First Aid, please email wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca to have your name placed on a waiting list.  Thank you.

    Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Just as physical first aid is administered to an injured person before medical treatment can be obtained, MHFA is given until appropriate treatment is found or until the crisis is resolved.

    The MHFA Canada program aims to improve mental health literacy, and provide the skills and knowledge to help people better manage potential or developing mental health problems in themselves, a family member, a friend or a colleague.

    Training is delivered by Dr. Jennifer Laffier.  Dr. Laffier is an Assistant Professor, and a Licensed Psychotherapist and Creative Arts Therapist with over 25 years of experience in the fields of developmental psychology, mental health and education. She conducts research in the area of human development and well-being in the digital age and is currently the Director of the Mental Health in the Digital Age Lab.

    Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2025
    Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
    Location: Virtual via Zoom
    Target Audience: All faculty and staff

  • Mindful Mondays: November 17, & 24, 2025

    The program is designed to attract participants who are interested in developing a regular practice, grounded in mindfulness, that supports wellness and resilience. The program will also be helpful to participants who are interested in specific topics and wish to attend select sessions rather than the entire series. Everyone is welcome.

    Session Structure:

    Each session occurs from Noon to 1 p.m. and will consist of the following structure:

    1. Opening with a settling practice
    2. Followed by approximately 10 minutes of introduction to the session theme 
    3. The Primary Practice for about 15 minutes
    4. Reflection about the practice experience 
    5. Remaining time for open group discussion  
    6. Closure with a brief practice

    Mindfulness of Thoughts on November 17, 2025

    Mindfulness of thought is a practice of observing thoughts without judgement, similar to watching clouds drifting by. The goal is not to stop thinking but to recognize thoughts as passing mental events.

    REGISTER

    Working with Difficult Emotions – November 24, 2025

    Mindfulness of difficult emotions involves approaching them with acceptance, curiosity and non-judgment rather than trying to suppress or avoid them.

    REGISTER

  • Diabetes Care Program: Tuesday, November 18

    This session will provide an overview of the FREE Diabetes Care Program that is offered from Sun Life.

    Living with diabetes can be challenging — but you don’t have to manage it alone. The Diabetes Care Program (DCP) is an evidence-based, lifestyle-first program created to empower Sun Life clients living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

    With the Diabetes Care Program, you’ll gain the knowledge, confidence, and support to live a healthier, more energized life.

    Date: Tuesday, November 18
    Time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
    Location: Virtual
    Audience: Group Benefit Plan Members

    Register today!

  • Fuel Your Defenses: Put up a Fight During Flu Season! November 24

    What can you do to help keep your immune system strong and healthy? Food and lifestyle play a play a critical role in how well your immune system functions.

    In this workshop, Dr. Bardin, Healthy Workplace Committee member, will explore the complexities of your immune system and help you to discover how foods and lifestyle choices can make an impact - both positively and negatively. Dr. Bardin will also dive into the vital role your gut and microbiome play in the overall health of your immune system and highlight the key nutrients that can help you stay strong and resilient throughout the flu season. 

    Fuel Your Defenses: Put up a Fight During Flu Season!Boost your Immune System

    • Facilitator: Dr. Sylvie Bardin, Associate Teaching Professor, Faculty of Science and Certified Nutritionist
    • Date: November 24, 2025
    • Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
    • Location: Virtual
    • Target Audience: Employees

    Boost your immune system!

    Register

     

  • Learning to Recharge: Thursday, November 27 – Please register by Friday, Nov. 21

    Let’s find time to recharge.  It may seem like a good work strategy to just do one more thing or push through. But, in fact, our focus and productivity go down when our energy is depleted. This means that we have to work harder and longer to get the same results than we would have had if we took the time to recharge. Attend this session to explore techniques to energize, calm your mind or relax your body and discover what you most need to recharge.

    Give-away and Draw: Participants will receive a Break Kit to support recharging after this workshop (while quantities last) and everyone will be entered into a random draw to receive a 1-year subscription to Calm.

    Date: Thursday, November 27, 2025
    Time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
    Location: In-person, SHA-037
    Target Audience: All faculty and staff

    Please REGISTER by Friday, November 21

  • Crucial Conversations for Employees: December 8-12

    When it comes to the health of relationships, teams, and organizations, one thing affects everything: communication. Backed by 30 years of social science, Crucial Conversation skills represent the standard in effective communication. Improve your skills and get better outcomes by attending a training course.

    The communication skills taught in this training focus on a specific kind of interaction: those when stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. This is not a course on winning friends or winning people to your way of thinking; it’s about strengthening relationships and securing results in the moments that matter most.

    This course teaches nine powerful skills for working through disagreement to achieve better resources: Get unstuck, Master my stories, Start with heart, State my path, Make it safe, Learn to look, Seek mutual purpose, Explore others’ paths, and Move to action.

    Crucial Conversations: Employees

      • Date: Monday, December 8, 2025 to Friday, December 12, 2025 (2.5 hours x 5 days)
      • Time: 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
      • Location: Virtual
      • Target Audience: Employees

    REGISTER

Reoccurring

Learning and Development

Please contact Julie Day, Health and Disability Management Specialist, with questions or if you should require an accommodation in order to participate in any of the events.