Corporate wellness plans keep employees on top of their game, says Diana Clement
When somewhere high in Telecom's management structure a decision was made to introduce a "wellness programme", little did contact centre worker Eilish Logan know it would result in her losing 60kg.
Logan, a member of Telecom's Mobile Dealer Support contact centre team in Auckland, says the programme has transformed her life.
"I lost 60kg through being committed to this programme. There was a true team spirit as we supported and encouraged each other," she says.
Employees love good wellness programmes. These often involve fitness programmes, smoking cessation help and stress reduction. And they don't break the bank.
Telecom launched its wellness programme "Balance" at the end of 2007 to improve employee engagement in its retail arm. It started with "expos" at its Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch offices, where gyms, weight loss organisations and other health-related companies were invited to demonstrate their services.
"It didn't require much encouragement for the staff to [attend]," says Greg McAlister, CFO of Telecom Retail.
The programme, which will evolve, involves a series of holistic activities and initiatives including fitness classes, weight management and vitamin distribution. Some events run all year, some are for a limited time.
Currently Telecom is running its second "10,000 step challenge", an eight-week fitness programme. More than 90 per cent of the company's retail staff take part and walk 10,000 steps (around 8km) each day.
Another popular activity in the Balance programme was a gym membership package, which in Auckland was for the YMCA. Telecom paid the membership fee and also offered those involved a personal training session each during the six-week membership.
Many employees have kept going to the gym at the end of the company-funded membership.
A new initiative is self-defence seminars run by Risq NZ, says Maryanne Kinley, project manager people HR at Telecom Retail.
"We offered the seminars to front-line people [on] shift work. They often leave work at 9pm to 10pm at night and some were feeling quite fearful."
Some new and planned initiatives include:
* A Weight Watchers programme, which began last month in Telecom's four main centres. About 10 per cent of retail employees have joined.
* Quit smoking seminars.
* Free prostate checks (via blood test) for all male staff members in Retail - to tie in with Telecom's sponsorship of Rowing for Prostate.
* Seminars to coach new dads in better work-life balance habits.
The term "wellness programme" might conjure up images of a politically correct utopia. But in reality the bottom line is cold, hard facts.
At Telecom Retail, says McAlister, average sick leave dropped from 14 days per person to 9.6 in just over a year. That amounts to $2.4 million in savings. It has also improved overall productivity.
McAlister says the four key benefits of the programme are:
* Improved productivity through higher staff engagement and a more positive workforce.
* Competitive advantage because improved employee dedication to customers enhances loyalty.
* Cost reduction through the decrease in sick leave and absenteeism within the retail part of the business.
* Personal benefits including greater staff satisfaction and more flexible working lives through support and encouragement of work/life balance.
One of the key success factors in Telecom's programme has been getting staff to exercise together and compete against each other, says McAlister.
Outbound Contact Centre manager Mark Warbrick was a classic example. After he lost 10kg, his staff were so inspired that they joined in and meet at the gym each morning at 6am. There is a star chart behind Warbrick's desk recording their successes.
Anecdotally, Telecom management has heard that since the Balance programme started, staff members are also happier in their home life too.
In a recent survey, over half of Telecom's retail employees agreed that Telecom encourages a positive work/life balance and 83 per cent said they have fun at work with their team.
Some of the statistics of the Telecom Balance programme's first year are impressive:
* In 2008, 2066 Telecom Retail staff participated in the largest ever official 10,000 Steps Program, developed in New Zealand by Dr Louise Schofield and Dr Clara Soper of Vitality Works. This year, out of 2347 retail staff, 2220 have registered.
* Results collated from Vitality Works showed that following the 10,000 step challenge in 2008, 73 per cent of Telecom staff surveyed said they felt more team cohesion in the workplace, 57 per cent said they felt more positive about the business and 55 per cent said they were very likely to continue the lifestyle changes they had put into place.
Research and statistics from around the world have quantified the benefit of wellness programmes. For example, says Andy Millard, general manager of marketing and communications at Sparc (Sport & Recreation New Zealand):
* Employees in Sweden made 60 per cent fewer errors on jobs requiring concentration and short-term memory.
* Vigorous exercise in the middle of the day improves mental alertness and productivity for four to five hours.
* The Canadian Life Assurance Company found that job turnover among fitness program participants was 32.4 per cent lower over a seven-year period compared with non-participants.
It's not just large employers that adopt wellness programmes. Health products manufacturer Comvita set up a wellness committee in 2006. It went on to win the EEO Trust's 2008 Workplace Work And Life Award for its polices promoting employee health and wellness alongside flexible working.
Comvita's "Equilibrium Project" involved a number of programmes, including:
* Ergonomic reviews for staff.
* A fitness and health component.
* Flexible working hours.
Education is also important, says Sonya Granitzer, organisational development manager at Comvita, and staff have been offered sessions on a number of health-related topics, such as how your heart works and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The company has also run seminars on time and stress management to help staff improve their work-life balance. In a tight employment market - until recently - the wellness programme helped Comvita recruit.
All Comvita staff members are entitled to a $200 contribution to their health every year, says Granitzer.
Last year, 43 per cent of staff took advantage of the offer, many using their Health Club Fund to subsidise expenses such as gym memberships, weight-loss programmes and massages. In addition, staff members compete to win a $500 award given annually to the employee who has made the biggest improvement in their lifestyle. In 2008, the winner gave up a 10-year smoking habit and reports that she's feeling happier, healthier and more energetic.
Comvita's approach has to be different to city-based companies, where staff can visit gyms, for example, at lunchtime. With this in mind, Comvita trialled weekly on-site Pilates classes, which proved popular with staff.
The Pilates classes have been put on hold because of a lack of space. But the company has plans for a new building, which will include an on-site gym. Staff members are encouraged to take time out of their schedule to fit exercise in.
Relatively small workplaces can benefit from workplace initiatives. Sparc offers assistance to employers and has a useful activity-friendly workplaces portal on its website, with links to information about getting started, case studies, best practice recommendations and links to manuals and toolkits from other organisations.
Likewise, the website www.
wellnessproposals.com has a wealth of free and useful information.
Small organisations tend to be better at changing workplace culture, which is a plus in their favour - although they're less likely to do the research and consulting involved in setting up a good wellness programme.
For wellness programmes to be a success, says Millard, a number of factors must be present, including:
* Good planning and promotion.
* Support from management.
* Employee involvement in a wellness team.
* Building trust and credibility.
* Having clear goals.
* Providing adequate resources.
* Evaluation of the outcomes.
