Employees at insurance firm Colonial have been challenged to increase physical activity levels within the workplace.
The Royal Gazette Online reports that office workers have participated in a 16-week health challenge, geared at improving their overall wellbeing.
Jacqueline Teunissen, corporate wellness director at Colonial, said the company is aiming to help employees make “small cumulative choices” throughout the day which improve their overall activity levels.
And with any luck, this could translate into greater physical and mental wellbeing, and greater productivity within the office.
“We encouraged employees to get out of their seats as much as possible throughout the work day, and to engage with their office colleagues face-to-face instead of over e-mail or telephone,” Ms Teunissen said.
She added that workers were also encouraged to take the stairs wherever they could and to leave their desks and walk during lunch breaks.
“Small actions like these really helped our employees to achieve – and in many cases exceed – their 10,000 step goal for the day and to create lifestyle habits that will stick for the long-term,” Ms Teunissen stated.
She explained how Colonial employees and their clients walked, swam and cycled an average of 13,009 steps per day during the four-month scheme.
Ms Teunissen said the wellbeing initiative has had an “incredible impact” on the Colonial workplace – one which could provide great benefits going forwards.
“Not only have our employees increased their physical activity levels and adopted healthier lifestyle habits, but they’re also more positive and energised physically and mentally,” she claimed.
“Employee morale and camaraderie has really lifted and that’s just fantastic.”
