June 14, 2019
Earlier this year, Vestergaard Company launched a health project focusing both on breaking bad habits and doing more exercise together; all of it took place at the workplace during working hours.
Why become even healthier?
At Vestergaard, we have a great fundamental interest in the employees’ well-being, but we would still like to offer something extra. We care about our employees’ health, and they are an important part of ensuring the best and most sustainable ground handling solutions for
our customers. Therefore, we launched the ”Vestergaard Health Project 2019” to support a healthy lifestyle among all employees and managers.
The content of the Health Project
The Health Project had a holistic approach to employee health, because we wanted to avoid restricting the scope by saying that health only equals weight loss. Health is so much more than that. Everybody knows how hard it is to break a bad habit, and at the same time, research has shown that exercise in the workplace together with colleagues has a strong positive effect on well-being and reduces sickness absence. Therefore, the Vestergaard Health Project included a 12-week scheme combining help to break bad habits through coaching sessions along with joint exercise. At the same time, the canteen served meals containing more dietary fibres and presented the healthy choices in a more appetizing manner.
Start-up
As a kick-off to the Health Project, Vestergaard invited the the esteemed speaker, researcher, and health coach Chris MacDonald to give a lecture to more than 130 interested employees. Since Vestergaard highly values professional competencies, we also value confirmed facts presented to us by an expert and appreciated receiving input on how to create a better balance in a healthy everyday life. During the 12 weeks, the participants received five individual habit coaching sessions and had joint circuit training twice a week.
Preliminary results – weight loss and habits
After six weeks, it was obvious that many of the participants already had achieved good results. Both in terms of weight loss through committed exercise and coaching in how to change the diet and break bad habits. At the same time, the continual feedback showed that the joint exercise brought people together and created a motivating team spirit. Obviously, the goal was to induce an increased well-being with the participants. Not only during the 12 weeks but also in the long term while, at the same time, inspiring other colleagues to take the same path.
Later this year, Vestergaard offers all employees the optional health check that is performed every second year. In 2017, 65 % of the employees participated. Our goal is that even more will sign up for the health check in 2019.
