Call for Ireland’s workforce to get moving
Wellbeing Day, is an initiative of Food and Drink Industry Ireland, part of Ibec and is being organised by the Nutrition and Health Foundation
Print12 February 2015
Only one in three workers takes the recommended level of exercise for a healthy lifestyle each week. Three in ten workers undertake no physical exercise during work time with just over a quarter (27%) describing themselves as fairly or very physically active according to new research* commissioned by the Nutrition and Health Foundation (NHF) to mark Ireland’s first National Workplace Wellbeing Day, which takes place on Friday, 27 March 2015.
Professor Niall Moyna, School of Health and Human Performance, DCU and chairman, NHF is calling on employers and employees across Ireland to sign up for the day.
Professor Moyna said: “Ireland’s workplaces are essential to encouraging healthier lifestyles amongst adults given the considerable amount of time people spend there. This campaign aims to help improve employee health through promoting better nutrition and physical activity. It’s easy for companies to get involved. All that’s required is a special focus on employee wellbeing on 27 March. There are lots of ideas and suggestions on our website nhfireland.ie/wellbeing on how companies can take part along with some practical examples of initiatives already being undertaken by other companies.”
“With 11 million days lost through absenteeism every year at a cost €1.5 billion**, workplace wellbeing is in everyone’s interest and 27 March is a good day to start. Simply encouraging staff to take 15 minutes exercise, for example, throughout their working day would go a long way towards the 150 minutes moderate exercise that’s recommended weekly. This could involve staff taking the stairs rather than the lift or identifying routes of various distances around the vicinity of the workplace for lunchtime walks or runs.”
Wellbeing Day, is an initiative of Food and Drink Industry Ireland, part of Ibec and is being organised by the Nutrition and Health Foundation. It is already attracting strong interest across the public and private sector.
Companies of all sizes have signed up from Aramark, Bank of Ireland, Teleflex to Fenero, a financial services contractor in Dublin. Registration is free and companies wishing to sign up or get further information can visit nhfireland.ie/wellbeing.
* The research was conducted online by Behaviour & Attitudes on a nationally representative sample of 18-65 year old people employed in the Republic of Ireland. The fieldwork was carried out from 28th October to 5th November 2014. A total of 1005 employees participated in the survey.
** Employee Absenteeism: A Guide to Managing Absence, 2011; Ibec
Fans 0
Followers