Company 'Health weeks' to Remember!

Hi Folks,

Is your workplace having a ‘health & well-being week’ this year?  Many do & they usually come around March / April time. As you can imagine I think the principle of these are great! So what’s happening in yours? In my experience they usually consist of the chance to have blood pressure, cholesterol, or the dreaded BMI test taken, healthier options in the staff canteen, a few emails saying to cycle to work or to take the stairs, & some extra ‘healthy’ posters up.

Although these actions mean well, are they really going to make any difference? Let’s think about it:

1. As it’s just for 1 week, it gives us the message that the other 51 weeks per year aren’t important.

2. How many employees will it impact on? – probably not a high % & even less of the ones that actually need it.

3. Much of it is reactive rather than preventative. E.g. who wants to have the health tests done just to be told that they are already unhealthy?

Grab hold of your HR staff & let them know what I’d recommend:

1. Have a healthy Focus week but carry the message / small challenges on in one day of each month of the year.  

2. Have short & sweet workshops by outside experts on common topics that are compulsory to attend! (this way you are engaging the employees that need it, plus they are more likely to take note of someone external).

3. Focus on activities to prevent conditions, such as enjoyable physical activities, stress / tension releasers, & new information of what we can do, not what we should stop doing.

I have experience at working in these events so please contact me & lets get something organised!

Thanks

James.