Jackson's Bakery – Healthy eating and exercise at work
| Company name | Jackson's Bakery |
|---|---|
| Sector | Food production |
| Number of employees | 350 |
| Type of workforce | Production, transport and administrative staff |
What issue was the organisation facing?
Jackson’s Bakery wanted to tackle staff weight issues before it became a health issue and led to increased sickness levels. Members of the firm’s occupational team had run weight management sessions in the past, but were now finding their time was being taken up by urgent staff issues. The company wanted a pro-active system to tackle the underlying issues rather than the symptoms, but didn’t have the staff time or resources to follow it through.
What action did the organisation take?
Jackson’s Bakery joined the Hull NHS “Shape up 4 Business” weight management programme. The programme is designed to help local businesses improve attendance and reduce sickness absence levels by educating employees about healthy eating and physical activity.
Participating staff at Jackson’s Bakery took part in group sessions and were given health assessments. Once this initial programme was complete, four members of staff underwent further training to qualify them in Weight Management. They continue to spread healthy messages and deliver the service to their colleagues.
What has been the impact of implementing health interventions?
The scheme generated a lot of interest among staff and initially saw more than 20 employees going through the programme and successfully losing weight. However, the resulting benefits also included improved fitness, reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Business benefits include higher morale, a strengthened, more confident workforce and lower levels of sickness absence.
The course started a “health buzz” among the staff, physical activity and healthy diets were talked about in the canteen, leading to an increased interest in healthy lifestyles. Jackson’s capitalised on this and trained their staff to continue the work through organised physical activity and weight management sessions.