Mandy Bujold's Column (3)

Join us for The Push-up Challenge in partnership with The Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington.

Let’s Build Healthier, More Connected Workplaces

Productivity isn’t just about working harder, it’s about working smarter. And sometimes, the smartest thing we can do is step away from our work for a moment.

Research shows that short bursts of movement throughout the workday improve focus, mood, and cognitive performance. With 90% of employees reporting that mental wellness directly impacts their productivity, even a few minutes of activity can make a meaningful difference in reducing stress, boosting energy, and resetting attention.

That’s why we’re excited to take part in The Push-Up Challenge in Partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington, and we’d love for GVCA members to join us.

Why The Push-Up Challenge?

The Challenge makes movement easy, inclusive, and fun. Throughout February, participants complete push-ups — or any substitute exercise — in ways that naturally fit the workday:

• 10 between meetings
• A few during a break
• A group moment before logging off

The goal is participation and consistency, not athletic ability. Teams across Canada will be strengthening their workplaces one push-up (or substitute!) at a time.

Why 2000 Pushups?

The push-up goal is 2,000 push-ups in 23 days, which represents the ~2,000 lives lost to suicide each day, worldwide.

In the construction industry, a sector known for building our cities and infrastructure, yet facing a very real and heavy mental health burden. In Canada, about one in three construction workers report poor mental health, and as many as 83% have experienced moderate to severe mental health issues like anxiety or depression. Tragically, suicide rates in the industry are nearly four times the national average.

A Simple Way to Build Stronger Workplace Culture

Workplace culture is built through shared experiences, not policies alone. The Push-Up Challenge creates those moments of connection:

• Teams working toward a shared goal
• Tracking progress together
• Encouraging each other
• Celebrating small wins

These moments humanize leaders, break down barriers between teams, and spark genuine connection. Picture managers doing wall push-ups, teams laughing through a movement break, or departments cheering one another on, it all adds up.

Strong workplace culture doesn’t come from grand gestures, it’s built through consistent, meaningful actions that bring people together. The Push-Up Challenge is one of those actions.

We’d love to see GVCA members join us this February to support wellness, connection, and community in a fun and approachable way.

If you’re interested, please join our GVCA community page and enter your team HERE.