Hearing technology business Starkey has adopted a digital workplace health programme devised and implemented by Stockport-based Life Leisure.
Life Leisure’s actilife programme – which combines wearable technology, an online interactive programme and remote coaching to help people become more active and better manage their weight – is now being used by 63% of Starkey’s workforce and is part of the Stockport company’s programme of investment in its employees.
A total of 117 of Starkey’s staff have signed up and undertaken their body composition assessments – whole body scans that give important information about health.
Life Leisure staff discuss the results in 20-minute one-to-one sessions, giving tailored exercise, health and nutrition information.
Each staff member who participates receives either a Garmin activity tracker or money towards buying a tracker of their own choice courtesy of Starkey.
Employees use the tracker to record physical activity throughout the day, syncing the information with an online portal that enables them to monitor progress.
From this they can compete in a range of online challenges to keep them motivated and encourage them to become more active, whether this is cycling to work, taking shorts walks on their lunch break or joining an activity in their local area.
Lindsay Fulcher, HR Manager from Starkey, said: “Our most important asset is our staff, so we want to ensure we look after and protect them. Many of our employees have desk based, sedentary roles, which we know isn’t good for health.
“We wanted a health improvement scheme that helped us to engage staff in a fun and sustainable way.
“We have a commitment to making Starkey Hearing Technologies the best place to work, while also being a conscientious employer, therefore it’s very important to us to look at ways we can continuously improve.
“As well as using a local company in Life Leisure to deliver this employee health programme, we are looking at ways to reduce our carbon footprint, be more efficient and provide an employee medical support programme too.”
Initially developed as a community health project aimed at getting Stockport’s residents moving, the original actilife three-month pilot project with 400 Stockport residents – 61% of whom were categorised as completely inactive – saw 85% report an increase in their activity levels with over two-thirds changing their habits to enjoy 30 minutes of ‘moderate physical activity’ at least three times a week.
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