Daily COVID-19 digest

Engaging employees on diversity, equity and inclusion:

Many of you have asked how you can become more engaged on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion at Canadian Blood Services. We are working to create more spaces for listening, dialogue and engagement to better understand your lived experiences and feedback.

One first step you can take, is find out more about the steps we have to date taken in support of our 2017 Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, and available resources.

As we move forward, we will be using a number of methods to engage employees including an anonymous employee survey addressing these critical issues and creating opportunities for one-on-one interviews and focus groups. 

We are inviting interested employees to join us for a focus group session to help us explore the most effective ways to incorporate employee voices at all levels of the organization going forward.  The intent of these sessions is to explore possible employee resource groups and the steps we can take as an organization to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment. The meetings will be hosted on Microsoft Teams, with a dial-in option available to all. Please email katie.obrien@blood.ca if you are interested in joining, and indicate which of the following dates best suits your schedule:

Tuesday, June 23 – 3:00pm ET

Tuesday, June 30 – 3:00pm ET

Tuesday, July 7 – 3:00pm ET

Teamwork to save a child: This spring, employees across the country helped save the life of Aaliyah Mchopanga, a five-year-old girl in Surrey B.C. Aaliyah has sickle cell disease as well as an unusual blood type. With donors, we have met her need throughout the pandemic – including when life-threatening emergencies dramatically increased Aaliyah’s need for blood. What we do matters. Read Aaliyah’s story on blood.ca and share it with your friends, family and networks. You can send them the link or share our posts about Aaliyah on our social media platforms using the hashtag #CanadasLifeline.

Register for free virtual fitness classes with Goodlife: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand how challenging it is to remain active. With gyms and boutique fitness studio’s closed, we’ve all had to rethink how we stay healthy — both mentally and physically. To help, we’ve joined forces with our amazing partners at Goodlife Fitness to provide Canadian Blood Services employees (and their families) access to virtual fitness programs. Beginning the week of July 6, we will be offering weekly Zumba classes (Tuesdays, 1:00 p.m. ET); boot camp (Wednesdays, 11 a.m. ET); and yoga (Thursdays, 12:00 p.m. ET). Visit your employee wellness portal to register. See you on the mat!

Some words of thanks from our donors: Our essential staff are on the frontlines every day because lives depend on it. We receive hundreds of notes of gratitude each week from donors after they have interacted with frontline employees and we think it’s important that you know how much of an impact you have made on them. Before you head into your weekend, please pause to read a small selection of their appreciation:      

Fabulous people work there. As a first-time donor, I was very impressed. Donating blood was a comfortable experience so Thank YOU very much to all staff members involved. Be well and stay safe! (Vancouver)

The territory manager, Elaine is ALWAYS so kind and helpful when I arrange a group booking. She shares very genuine thank you emails every single time our group participated and definitely makes me feel happy to continue being part of the process of getting my staff to donate. Her taking the time to send out personal emails really motivates me and my staff to continue being a part of this process! (Barrie)

Question of the day: Since many staff are wearing homemade cloth masks, can we receive instructions for handling & cleaning of those as well? I am concerned about a used mask being stuffed into a purse or pocket.

We are asking staff who choose to wear homemade face masks to follow guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Before putting on a homemade mask, you should inspect it for tears or holes, ensure it is clean and dry and wash your hands with soap and water or sanitizer. When putting on your mask, you should hold the ear loops or ties and ensure your nose and mouth are fully covered.

When your mask becomes damp or dirty, PHAC recommends replacing or washing it. When putting your mask in the laundry, ensure you are washing it with hot soapy water and let it dry out completely before using it again. Clean masks should be stored in a clean paper bag until you will wear it again. When removing your mask after a shift, a clean bag, such as a paper bag or Ziplock is recommended to store it until you can launder it at home.

Remember, wearing a non-medical mask or face covering alone will not prevent the spread of COVID-19. You must also wash your hands often, practice physical distancing and stay home if you are sick.

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About the daily digest

This daily digest will highlight the latest policy and employee support measures, resources to help you manage our new reality and original content like articles and videos to remind us that what we do matters. Things are moving quickly, so you can expect to hear from us daily. No access to email? No problem — all this information and more can be found on blood.ca/employees from any device, no login required.

Click here to read past editions of the daily digest.

Have questions? Check out blood.ca/employees or email us at communications@blood.ca.