1. Metro Trains Melbourne Wellness on Track
Fiona McHugh & Helen Barnes
Good afternoon all and thank you for attending our talk today on behalf of Metro Trains Melbourne Health and Productivity. We’d like to present ‘Wellness on Track’ a transitional journey towards a culture of health and wellness.
My name is Fiona Mchugh and I’m Helen Barnes. We are part of a team of change makers at Metro Trains, adding value to the organisation through an effective and sustainable culture shift.
Today we will share with you our journey – from the beginning 18 months ago to where we are now and our vision for the future. It’s a story far from perfection, with a few challenges encountered along the way. But learning has been part of the journey and helped us improve on our strategy.
So a little bit about Metro Trains Melbourne, otherwise known as ‘Metro’. This company is responsible for moving half a million people around Melbourne each day. A company made of 4600 employees, where 71% are shift workers within a blue collar environment. Health and wellness in a blue collar environment – quite possibly the most difficult area of the workforce to engage

2. Some statistics… Source: Healthy Workers Portal, Australian Government Department of Health
Analysis of all persons aged 18+
Current smoker
Inadequate fruit and veg intake
Physical activity
BMI: overweight or obese
Weight circumference:
Increased or high risk
Alcohol increased life risk
National average
22%
49%
71%
59%
55%
24%
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
20%
40%
70%
64%
63%
30%
Mining
27%
39%
67%
58%
28%
Manufacturing
75%
60%
53%
Utilities
17%
45%
69%
73%
62%
Construction
31%
46%
68%
Retail trade
54%
50%
51%
Transport & Storage
29%
79%
26%
Communication services
12%
51.5%
77%
48%
Finance and Insurance
66%
Government Administration and Defence
72%
19%
Education
14%
57%
56%
18%
Health and community services
42%
To add some statistics into the mix, what’s a presentation without them…
Here we have a summary of health risk areas according to work industry classifications. We can see that the Transport and Storage sector has some of the highest rates of unhealthy behaviours relating to nutrition, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and Body Mass Index.
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

3. Health and Wellness at Metro Trains Melbourne
Average Workforce Demographic: Male, 45 years of age, blue collar shift worker …disrupted sleeping patterns, poor nutrition, high stress, low level of cardiovascular exercise Health Risk areas: Diabetes Type 2, Cardiovascular disease, Mental Health, increased BMI, Musculoskeletal problems
Here is a snapshot of our average workforce demographic. Male, 45 years of age, blue collar shift worker. When we explore a shift worker lifestyle we will find disrupted sleeping patterns, poor nutrition, high stress levels, and low cardiovascular activity.
This all translates into our five key health risk areas – Diabetes type two, Cardiovascular disease, Mental Health, increased BMI, and Musculoskeletal problems. For those of you working within the Transport Industry, these risk factors would seem all too familiar.

4. So Homer Simpson may be a slight exaggeration of our average Metro demographic, however without implementation of an effective Workplace Health and Wellness Program there would be higher numbers of Homer Simpsons.
Metro | Wellness On Track | October 2015

5. The beginning of Health and Productivity
People and Performance
Engagement driven
Nine employees, three areas
Key health risk areas established
Strategic planning for 3 years
Customised approach
Safety, Environment, Risk
Compliance driven
One employee and one area
Key health risk areas not established
No strategy
Sporadic health initiatives
18 months
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

6. Strategic Objectives
Health & Wellness – Physical, Mental, Social, Financial
Support a healthy, safe and caring work environment
Collaborate professional relationships
Total organisational participation
Culture, practice and policy
Employer of choice
Establish ROI
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

7. Four Pillars of Wellness
Financial
Physical
Social
Emotional
Insert model

8. Physical Wellness

9. Social Wellness Altruism supports mental health
Meaningful relationships
Supporting internal and external community
Appreciating diversity of cultures, backgrounds and beliefs
Social Wellness
CSR initiatives

10. Emotional Wellness Heads Up – Mentally Healthy Work Alliance
Peer Supporter Program
EAP/Pastoral Carer
Trauma Management Process
Emotional Wellness
Mental Health Strategy – Endorsed by Heads Up Organisation. Checklist to submit in order to achieve ‘Mentally Healthy Workplace’ status
Peer Supporter Program
EAP
Heads Up Program
Trauma Support

11. Financial Wellness
Australian Psychological Society last year concluded that the leading cause of Stress and Anxiety in Australia was Financial. 54% of those surveyed suffered from Financial Stress
Employee Benefits
ANZ
Financial Wellness Launch with seminars conducted by ANZ on Life Events
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

12. Opportunity – improve communications
Geographic dispersion across 70+ worksites
4600 employees in five divisions and many
departments
Cultural differences
Customise communication mode
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

13. Opportunity – measuring ROI
Participation/user rate of services and programs
- Improvement in key health risk areas
- Decreased sick days
- Decreased work cover claims
EBIT
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

14. Opportunity – focus on quality not quantity
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

15. What’s working?
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

16. What’s working?
Metro | Wellness on Track | October 2015

17. Healthy Together Victoria Achievement Program
 Create a positive, healthy culture
 Build on existing health and wellbeing initiatives
 Be recognised by the Victorian Government as an Employer of Choice
 To be completed by 2016
Healthy Together Victoria Achievement Program

18. Engaging our people

19. The destination …
Focus on increasing health literacy through health education and connecting to support services
Partnerships with Universities and NGOs
Innovative and ongoing internal communications
Consistent data tracking to ascertain ROI
Deliver an industry leading Health and Wellbeing Program