Many people make a New Years’ Resolution to get fit and eat healthily which doesn’t last until the end of January - but for staff at IES in Bristol, the challenge began in March and is still going strong 6 months later.
IES in Avonmouth introduced a company-wide wellness programme centred around encouraging fitness and active lifestyles. Staff who signed up were issued with FitBits to help them, with further encouragement and support in the shape of healthy snacks at work alongside nutritional workshops.
To maintain enthusiasm for the Challenge IES appealed to their employees’ competitive spirit by installing a leaderboard in the office, with weekly winners awarded fitness-related prizes, and have also run several fun competitions including ‘Month Long Challenge’, ‘Battle of the Sexes’, and ‘Workweek Hustle’, which have resulted in a stronger team spirit as well as inspiring some ingenious methods of winning. Staff have also taken part in a Welsh 3 Peaks Challenge, and in July the company held a sports evening in association with Sports England to encourage sport & activity.
The challenge continues into the Autumn and this month a number of staff will be participating in the Cancer Research UK ‘Walk All Over Cancer’ 10k steps a day challenge, with twomembers of staff having their own competition to see who can lose the most weight during the period. The winner will be judged by a weighing before and after the activity.
Numerous studies have noted the positive impact of improved health and fitness on work life and personal wellbeing and the IES Challenge is no exception, with participants such as 33 year old Operations Supervisor Sam Knowles seeing significant changes since she embarked on the programme. Prior to March her exercise was limited to walking her dog for 40 minutes per day but over the 6 month period her activity has progressively increased, beginning with walking her dog for longer, then joining a gym, culminating in the installation of a home gym and 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week (as well as walking the dog!). She has seen significant benefits including a smaller dress size, increased muscle definition and more energy – the latter benefiting both herself and IES.
IES is a leading, worldwide provider of specialist engineering and logistics services. From single machine installations to entire factory relocation and from manufacturing to high-tech industry, IES provides an unrivalled reputation for quality of service and reliability. Based in Avonmouth it works with a wide range of clients from start-ups to blue chip multinationals, and celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.