Occupational Health and Safety at Valnet Inc.

This report discusses the health and safety issues at Valnet Inc. and suggests a wellness program to mitigate those issues. It also discusses the training design and delivery, learning principles, and evaluation of the program.

VALNET INC. 0
Occupational Health and Safety
Student Details
12/9/2018

Valnet Inc. 1
Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Background of Valnet............................................................................................................2
Need Analysis............................................................................................................................3
Program Content........................................................................................................................4
Training Design and Delivery....................................................................................................5
Training Objectives of Program.............................................................................................5
Two Learning Principles that Apply to Adult Learners.........................................................6
Safety and Health Training Program Evaluation.......................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Occupational health and safety has become one of the concerned issues for both the
employees as well as for the organizations (ILO, 2018). This report is presenting the working
conditions or the environment of Valnet organization. Health and safety conditions at the
Valnet organization were identified and analysed during the internship program of one of the
group members from the team. Although, Valnet organization is one of the biggest names in
the media agency but there are some minor issues regarding health and safety of employees
that we want to highlight and make Human Resource department of Valnet aware about
issues in order to mitigate those issues (NewSciences, 2018).
Background of Valnet
Valnet Overview and History: Valnet is a Canada based online media publishing
company. It creates and distributes contents to the different organizations through its
websites. Mr Hassan Youssef is the co-founder and the chief executive officer of Valnet and
founded this company in 2012 (Bloomberg, 2018). The company is located in St. Laurent,
Canada. There are around 400 employees in the Valnet and total revenue of Valnet is around
$20 million (Valnet, 2018).
Culture at Valnet: Valnet provides peerless opportunities to the seekers who want
excitable career and are performance oriented.
Business Strategy of Valnet: Valnet will form a committee that will develop strategy
plans for the employees of the Valnet and human resource staff will be responsible for
ensuring the effectively delivering of all programs (Bloomberg, 2018).

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Need Analysis
During the internship program, the need for wellness program was observed.
Wellness program not only required for individual but it is the requirement for the jobs as
well as for the organization too (Cartercenter, 2006). Below is the analysis of why a wellness
training program is required for Valnet, for the task, and for the employees.
Organizational Analysis: Valnet is a media agency that provides content to the other
organizations. Here employees work around eight hours in front of their computers. Since it
requires concentration and creativity to create fresh and creative ideas to develop content,
therefore employees need stress free environment to work effectively (Dutta, 2018). Growth
and success of an organization depends on the work delivered by the employees. Hence, to
meet the goals of Valnet, employees’ effectively working is important.
 Requires training for employees to enhance their skills.
 Requires training to distress the working environment.
 More staff is required to reduce the work load and work pressure.
Task Analysis: At Valnet main work that is done by the employees is creating fresh
content for other organization. This job requires some specific skills, dedication of
employees, concentration, creative ideas, and healthy brains. Although, all employees at
Valnet push their limits to achieve the target and deliver best services to the clients (Sanchez
et al., 2017). But, there are some employees who are not able to do all task effectively.
 Training for performing the certain task that needs specific skills.
 Carry out test to determine the skills of the employees.
Individual Analysis: Human resource department should conduct an analysis program to
determine the training needs of the employees. For this HRM at Valnet should gather

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information from the performance reviews. There are many problems that Valnet employees
are facing on their daily basis.
 Ask for feedback from employees.
 Conduct interviews with employees to know their recommendations for improving
workplace environment and their individual performance.
Program Content
Health Issues that is quite common in every office and so in Valnet are stress and
fitness of the employees. As per the observations, there is much need of stress management
program for the employees and make them aware about their health issues to make them to
live a healthy and fit life.
Managing stress: Working continuously on the laptops under so much work load and
pressure causes stress to the employees. Stress has both physical and emotional effects on
employees’ health. Stress also leads to the decrease in the performance of the employees and
so the performance of the Valnet. An employee can deliver his best performance when he
works under stress free environment (Sanchez et al., 2017). Therefore, Valnet needs to
provide stress management training to the employees to work efficiently and gives best
productivity for the Valnet.
Fitness Program: Physical activities are the keys to a healthy lifestyle. It not only has
physical benefits but also has psychological importance too. Employees at Valnet spend lot of
hours in the office while working on their laptops and rarely involve in physical activities.
Therefore, Valnet should provide training to the employees to motivate them to participate in
physical activities (Torre & Goetzel, 2016). This can be done by conducing health programs
on regular basis and providing strength training equipment in the office.

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Training Design and Delivery
A healthy and safe working environment is the right of every employee or the person
who works in the vicinity of the organization. To guide the employees and the employers
about the necessary working conditions, Canada’s Occupational Health and safety Act has
described several training programs to make them aware (Torre & Goetzel, 2016).
Training Objectives of Program
1. Positive Work Climate: Stress management and fitness program will help in
improving the working capacity of the employees. A healthy employee gives the best
productivity to the organization. Stress free employees have positive thinking and
happy personality that leads to provide positive work environment.
2. Healthy Lifestyle Behaviour: By providing fitness program to the employees, Valnet
is focusing on health of their employees. Healthy employees work with full
enthusiasm and hence benefit to the Valnet.
On-the-Job Training: Is a way of explaining the new employees about the company
strategies and goals. It provides new employees necessary skills and practical knowledge
about the job and thus reduces the work pressure. It is a simple method of learning. As
employees work for hours on laptops, it creates vision related issues to the employees. Hence,
Valnet can offer onsite eye exams to the employees where they can get their eyes examined
and choose the best lenses and glasses for their eyes (2020Onsite, 2018).
Off-the-Job Training: To promote the fitness program, Valnet can promote weight loss
challenge program for the employees. One month weight loss program that includes cash
prizes and gifts will motivate the employees to participate in physical activities at home too
(NewSciences, 2018).

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Technology Based: Today’s world is mobile dominated and technology can help
employees to achieve positive health outcomes. Technology can make the wellness program
“gamifying”. Employees can track the minutes of meditation, can track steps of their walk,
and days without the junk food (Thorgeirsson, 2018).
Two Learning Principles that Apply to Adult Learners
Adult Learners are Self-Directed: Adults want to be in control of their own destiny
and their own actions. This helps in trainers to guide the employees about the wellness
program and let them learn through the learning process. Through which, Valnet can let the
employees the training or the wellness program they needed for themselves.
Adult Learners have Life Experiences: Valnet can ask for suggestions before
implementing any wellness program for them. Employees can better explain their problems
they are facing and the health issues they have (Dalto, 2012). This help the Valnet to know
about the experiences of the employees and a better wellness program can be developed.
Safety and Health Training Program Evaluation
Effectiveness of the training program should be evaluated periodically. Evaluation
helps in determining the accomplishments and the outcomes of the program. It will help the
Valnet in effectively managing the time and the resources of the organization. It also provides
evidences that Valnet can share with its employees, stakeholders, and clients (Harlin, 2013).
Below are the two tools for evaluating the wellness programs:
Process Evaluation: Process evaluation helps in determine how the program was
implemented. This tells about the quality of the program and can be conducted after 18
months post-program. For making the program success, Valnet should first promote the

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content of the program and then delivery of the program is evaluated by asking questions to
the employees like was the week, day, time, and topic relevant and convenient? .
Impact Evaluation: It helps in to see the immediate effects of the program on the
employees. This can be observed by checking the performance of the employees and their
behaviour in the workplace (Sanchez et al., 2017). This evaluation can be done by asking like
who started to have fruits and vegetables for being fit, how many started exercise, and time
management skills.
Conclusion
Therefore, case study of Valnet gives the information regarding the safety and health
issues that are present in the vicinity of Valnet organization. These, issues not seem big for
now but can lead to serious safety and health issues in the coming days. It is important for the
human resource department to rectify the problems that are mentioned above and provide a
healthy and safe environment to the employees which is their right also. Maintaining a
healthy environment also beneficial for the organization as this develops a sense of security
in employees that they are being valued and healthy workplace also increases the efficiency
of the employees. OSHO of Canada has given laws for marinating a healthy and safe
workplace. Valnet should work according to those guidelines and provide proper training
program to the employees, supervisors, and the mangers.

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References
2020Onsite, 2018. Employee Wellness Programs: What Are They? Do You Need Them?
[Online] Available at: https://www.2020onsite.com/blog/employee-wellness-programs-do-
you-need-them.
Ahmad, I., Sattar, A. & Nawaz, A., 2016. Occupational Health and Safety in Industries in
Developing World. Gomal Journal of Medical Sciences, 14(4).
Bloomberg, 2018. Company Overview of Valnet Inc. [Online] Available at:
https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=241346392.
Cartercenter, 2006. Occupational Health and Safety. [Online] Available at:
https://www.cartercenter.org/resources/pdfs/health/ephti/library/lecture_notes/
env_occupational_health_students/ln_occ_health_safety_final.pdf.
Dalto, J., 2012. PUTTING ADULT LEARNING PRINCIPLES TO WORK. [Online] Available
at: https://www.convergencetraining.com/blog/putting-adult-learning-principles-to-work.
Dutta, D., 2018. Creating an Effective Corporate Wellness Program. [Online] Available at:
https://www.vantagecircle.com/en/blog/creating-corporate-wellness-program/.
Harlin, Z., 2013. Employer Perspectives of Employee Wellness. Thesis. University of
Washington.
ILO, 2018. Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety. [Online] Available at:
http://training.itcilo.it/actrav_cdrom2/en/osh/intro/inmain.htm.
NewSciences, 2018. Workplace Health and Safety. [Online] Available at:
https://newscience.ul.com/wp-content/themes/newscience/library/documents/workplace-

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health-and-safety/New_Science_WHS_Journal_Issue_1.pdf.
Sanchez, F.A.S., Pelaez, G.I.C. & Alis, J.C., 2017. Occupational safety and health in
construction: a review of applications and trends. Industrial Health, 55(3), pp.210-18.
Thorgeirsson, T., 2018. How to implement technology into your employee wellness plan.
[Online] Available at: https://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/article/implement-
technology-employee-wellness-plan.
Torre, H.D.L. & Goetzel, R., 2016. How to Design a Corporate Wellness Plan That Actually
Works. [Online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2016/03/how-to-design-a-corporate-wellness-
plan-that-actually-works.
Valnet, 2018. Create Captivate Innovate. [Online] Available at: https://www.valnetinc.com/.