October is Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month (CHWM). As your Defence Team Mental Health Co-champions, the three of us wanted to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of workplaces that support well-being. While we have distinct military and civilian workspaces across Defence—from cubicles, to shop floors, to operational environments—all of us have the right to safe, healthy work environments.

Earlier today, we kicked-off CHWM 2019 with a before-work spin class. More than 20 senior leaders from across the Defence Team joined us. The evidence is here. As much as we appreciated the workout, we also hoped to reinforce that—no matter how busy our lives get—all of us across the Defence Team can benefit from making time to support our bodies, minds and spirits.

This month, you can get involved in numerous initiatives and activities to promote healthy workplaces. We also encourage you to explore the resources available to Defence Team members and find ways to support workplace well-being that suit your lifestyle.

Regardless of where you’re located, you can get involved online by sharing photos of what a healthy workplace means to you. Whether it’s a calm and tidy workspace, a brisk walk or relaxing coffee with colleagues, or a PT session to start your day, submit your healthy workplace photos so that your colleagues across the country can learn from your ideas via the CHWM intranet page.

Change starts with conversations. We look forward to being part of a month-long discussion across National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces about how we can build safer, healthier workplaces and a more resilient Defence Team.

Your Mental Health Co-champions,