Wednesdsay August 18, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER D7 Business Employee fitness good for bottom line If sustaining one's health isn't rea son enough to be physically active, the economic relief to Canada's bur dened healthcare system should be. With the link between physical inactivity and disease conditions like heart disease, colon cancer, adult,- onset diabetes and osteoporosis well- established, the time has come to move sedentary people to action so that precious healthcare dollars are not spent on illnesses that could have been prevented. The corporate sector can play an im portant role in encouraging Canadians to become more active and they should because, ultimately, it also helps their bottom line. Em ployees who are more active report better health, im proved morale, and an increased tolerance for stress. With increased activity comes a stronger ability to concen trate, more effective decision-mak ing, and more proficient work habits. Workplace physical activity pro grams improve performance "Studies have shown a positive relationship between adequate physi cal activity and job satisfaction," said Joe Doiron, of Health C anada's Fitness and Active Living Unit. "H igher job satisfaction, in turn, leads to better employee morale, which then leads to increased pro ductivity." A review of close to 80 workplace programs showed benefits ranging from increased fitness, fewer inci dents of back pain, and fewer health problems overall in those who were physically active. Bottom line results from reduced absenteeism Workplace activity programs not only encourage healthy lifestyles among employees, but in a review of 20 studies looking at absenteeism, a 70% reduction in absenteeism was observed when fitness programs were put in place. A day's absence by an employee can involve paying for replacement staff, recruiting and training time, as well as overall loss in productivity. In fact, a factor of 1.75 multiplied by the day's wage is used to calculate the cost of a single day's absence. In a landmark study conducted over 10 years by the Canada Life Assurance Company, absentee rates for physically active employees were compared with those of sedentary employees. The sedentary employees were absent a total of 38.9 days, while active employees were absent only 12.5 days over the decade -- a difference of 26.4 days! Corporate active living programs also attract employees Active living can be an innovative addition to any employee benefit pro gram, and an im portant tool in attracting and retaining employees. As well, when em ployees are demanding broader compensation for their efforts, yet are limited by set earning levels and decreased room for advancement, active living pro grams can provide a low-cost alterna tive for employees. Physical activity reduced burden on healthcare system Reducing unnecessary illness through increased activity also has a direct impact on healthcare costs in general. Research by the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI) showed that a 16% increase from 1981 to 1995 in Canadians who were physically active translates into savings o f $9-billion because of reduced costs in healthcare, health insurance, sick leave, disability cov erage, group life insurance, and lost revenue from taxes. "The good news here is that even a moderate investment in physical activity programs has been shown to make a significant difference in sav ings to healthcare," said Cora Craig, president o f the CFLRI. "The corpo rate sector can do its part by estab lishing effective physical activity programs that provide opportunities for all employees to be active." Businesses can also foster envi ronm ents more conducive for employees to adopt active modes of transportation to and from the work place, such as bike racks, showers, and locker facilities. Ultimately, active living programs represent an effective, cost-efficient and fun way to answer employees' call for help in coping with the chal lenges of managing work and home life, and balancing both personal and professional responsibilities. Making sure your business makes it past The Wall By Dave Anderson SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER You are standing on the starting line ready to open your own business. Down the road you can see a brick wall. It looks pretty small from here but you decide to walk down and take a look. As you get closer, you notice that there are white bricks and red bricks. The white ones form the base and stretch six or eight feet high. The red ones go up for a couple of rows after that but it looks like the red brick part of the wall is unfinished. Each brick has a minus sign and a dollar sign on it. Hmmmmmmm. Standing at the base of the wall, it towers above your head. Half way up the wall a sign reads, 'to little skill, out of money, out of time, out of luck'. Farther up the wall near the top is what appears to be a temporary sign that says, 'break even'. The wall cov ers the entire road and ends at a deep chasm on each side. You can't see around or over the wall but there is a small hole and as you peek through it, you see sun light and green fields and chil dren playing and a little whiff of music floats through. On this side it is dark and it feels more than a little depressing. On the ground in front of the wall lie chalk out lines of companies that obviously beat their heads against the wall and didn't make it over. As you slowly walk back, you real ize the distance between you and the wall isn't so much about distance as it is about time. You realize the time between you and hitting that wall has The ^ Business^ D o c t o F ^ been bought by the amount of money you have to invest in your business, how much you can borrow and the money your suppliers are lending you in the form of payment terms. The only way past that wall is over it. Whether you make it or not depends on how high the wall is, how much run ning room you have and how skilled you are. Most businesses don't make it past the wall. They use up their time (money) on things that add bricks (expenses) to the wall. They don't develop the understanding and focus required to get past the wall. Control every expense. Focus on breaking even first. Hitting the wall at full tilt can be devastating. Don't be the business equivalent of George of The Jungle. Bankruptcy is no fun. I know. I've been there. Dave Anderson is available for sales meetings and annual conferences. Call (705) 526-7661. Looking (or an enjoyable & fulfilling volunteer opportunity? OAKVILLE B 1 G 1 The Last Roof Your Home Will Ever Need! Interlock .... The First Affordable Permanent Aluminum Roofing System Bv Karen Zabawa - Special The hottest new roofing material in Burlington & the G.T.A. is actually pretty cool. That's because it's made from alu minum, and actually deflects 95 per cent of the sun's heat, says Norman Wells. "It helps keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer, and so helps to lower your energy costs." Wells is Ontario marketing manager for Interlock Industries, a B.C.-based company that manufactures, distributes and installs the lightweight aluminum roof shakes and trims for homes, church es, and industrial-commercial applica tions. "The 'Interlock' in the name refers to the way the shakes are installed," says Wells. "All four sides of the shake are interlocked to form a weather-proof seal." Priced somewhere between asphalt shingles and clay or slate roofs, an Interlock aluminum roof has a number of advantages over other roofing systems, including wood shakes, says Wells. "The inorganic nature of these tex tured aluminum shakes means that leaves and other debris won't cling to the surface. These shingles won't retain moss, or mold or insects, and will not shed granules that clog down spouts and drains. And since aluminum is very light, it can be installed right over your existing roof. Interlock shakes come in 10 factory-baked Kynar colors that will never fade. An Interlock aluminum roof will look as good 20 years and more from now as on the day it was installed." "This roof is rot-proof, fire proof, vermin, rust and wind proof. These shingles will not crack or split or curl, yet they shed snow and are not harmed by hail. This is the ultimate maintenance-free roof." Interlock aluminum shakes can adapt to any roof line, and are guaranteed for 50 years. "We have a transferable, non pro rated warranty should you sell your home. An Interlock alu minum roof will not only add curb appeal to your home, it will also increase its resale value." To meet the growing demand in the southern Ontario market, Interlock Industries has opened a new office and warehouse in Mississauga. And though new to In terlock Ind u stries ligh tw eigh t, in te rlo ck in g a lu m in iu m roof shakes Ontario, Wells says the company is already installing roofs here. S S I Interlock Industries was founded | 25 years ago, and has installed ■ thousands of roofs in other parts of Canada and the U.S. over the 1MB years. All the product is manu- ,; d factored at the plant in Delta B.C. I The company also has sales I offices in Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Washington, Oregon and JIH Alaska and Hawaii. ^ S Call us now, for more ■ information at (905) 631-7082 DRIVE BY AND SEE THESE INTERLOCK ™ PILOT HOMES ♦ 1135 Mount Rose Abbey Lane - Aged Cooper - Super Tile (Oakville) ♦ 15 Birch Hill Lane - Charcoal Grey (O akville) ♦ 661 King Road - Tim ber Tone (Burlington) ♦ 3126 Victoria St. - Aged Cooper (O akville - Bronte) ♦ 152 Wilder Dr. - Charcoal Grey (4th Line & Lakeshore area, Oakville) ASK ABOUT OUR BURLINGTON DISPLAY HOMES ASSOCIATION Requires Volunteers POSITIONS OPfll: • Fundraisers • Special Events Committee • Fundraising Chair • Committee Members • and many other positions For inform ation please call "A girl cared fo r today is a woman caring fo r tomorrow" Introducing rTiLE Roofing Systems Finally, a roofing system that gives you the natural look of coloured cement or clay tiles without the weight. It 's PERMANENT and protected with ALUNAR®. • Broad range of colours available. • Can be installed on lower sloped roofs as low as 2 in 12. CALL US TO VIEW INSTALLATIONS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOl INTEn K "The Lasting Roof" 1-800-550-7040 (905) 631-7082 FANTASTIC LIMITED TIME OFFER! We are looking for homes in your neighborhood where we may feature our products, to demonstrate to others why our INTERLOCK and SUPERTILE ROOFING SYSTEMS are fast replacing other roofing. You'll receive unbelievable savings. PLEASE CALL MURRAY WELLS ANYTIME INCLUDING EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS CHECK THESE FEATURES: ✓ WEATHER RESISTANT ✓ ROT RESISTANT ✓ FIRE RESISTANT ✓ MOSS RESISTANT ✓ WIND RESISTANT ✓ RUST RESISTANT ADVERTORIAL ✓ RODENT RESISTANT ✓ TERMITE RESISTANT ✓ CURL RESISTANT ✓ CRACK RESISTANT ] F Business By Dave Anderson The Last Roof Your Home Will Ever Need! ♦ 1135 Mount Rose Abbey Lane - Aged Cooper - Super Tile (Oakville) ♦ 15 Birch Hill Lane - Charcoal Grey (Oakville) ♦ 661 King Road - Timber Tone (Burlington) ♦ 152 Wilder Dr. - Charcoal Grey ASK ABOUT OUR BURLINGTON DISPLAY HOMES Requires Volunteers POSITIONS OPfll: Introducing rTiLE Roofing Systems CALL US TO VIEW INSTALLATIONS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOl n 1-800-550-7040 (905) 631-7082