Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Latest NewsWellbeingOccupational Health

Workplace schemes make big difference to employee health

by Nic Paton 14 Aug 2008
by Nic Paton 14 Aug 2008

Implementing measures such as pedometer challenges, health checks and fruit giveaways can make a significant improvement to the health of employees in the workplace, a government-funded scheme has concluded.


The Well@Work programme run by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and funded by the Department of Health, Sport England and the Big Lottery Fund, has found that pedometer challenges can increase weekly step counts by a third.


Similarly, those who took part in active travel schemes spent on average an extra 24 minutes walking or cycling to and from work, while use of the workplace stairs increased by 28% following initiatives such as putting up encouragement posters and redecorating stairwells.


Healthy eating initiatives encouraged participants to increase their intake of fruit and vegetables, with an extra 11% meeting their five-a-day requirement.


The programme has recommended that all employers design their buildings in ways to encourage employees to be active and ensure that catering contracts stipulate healthy food is available.


It has also urged primary care trusts to integrate health checks and health trainers into workplaces.


There was also a need for employees to be proactive – for example, requesting healthy workplace initiatives from their employers, while employers should consider including sport in any healthy workplace initiatives for their staff.


Nicki Cooper, head of heart health at the BHF, said: “We spend 60% of our day with colleagues, so they can provide great support in getting us to swap that chocolate cake for a piece of fruit, or to walk home instead of driving.”


Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Dame Carol Black, national director for health and work, added: “I’m encouraged to see pilots like this. Employers have a crucial role to play if we are to make wellness at work a reality for all, not a privilege for the few.”


The Well@Work scheme covered 10,000 staff in 32 workplaces across England over two years, with both a range of public and private workplaces taking part.

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Sainsbury’s is first to sign up to Constructing Better Health
next post
A-level increase in maths and science is good news for economy, says EEF

You may also like

Doctors vote for return to strike action

8 Jul 2025

‘Frustrating’ that NHS Plan has overlooked OH, warns...

8 Jul 2025

Four in 10 call centre workers to quit...

8 Jul 2025

Employment Rights Bill set to ban employer NDAs

8 Jul 2025

Young people unprepared for world of work, says...

8 Jul 2025

Empower and engage for the future: A revolution...

7 Jul 2025

Bereavement leave to extend to miscarriages before 24...

7 Jul 2025

One in seven ‘revenge quit’ in latest employee...

7 Jul 2025

Skills shortfall in construction threatens housing target

4 Jul 2025

Company director wins £15k after being told to...

4 Jul 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today