Kent County Council has launched a ‘virtual gym’ to give its 44,000 staff access to online personalised fitness programmes.
Staff use a password-coded website to access a range of health-related questionnaires and advice on health and wellbeing. They also have the option of downloading exercise videos on Pilates, yoga and aerobics, with new sessions added each week.
The gym is being provided by internet-gym VirtualGym TV.
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Elaine Mason, organisation and employee wellbeing and performance manager at the council, said one of the advantages of using an online gym was that it meant it was accessible to all its employees, who were spread across 1,100 different locations, at any time of the day. “The fitness and exercise programme can be tailored to individual requirements, and we hope a high proportion of our staff take this opportunity to be more active,” she said.
More than 350 staff had registered for the employer-paid benefit during its launch trial, she added.
