Healthy Workplace Winners Announced

With people spending at least a third of their waking hours at work it makes sense for their place of work to make them happy and healthy. 19 Walsall based organisations were rewarded for doing just that, at this year’s Healthy Workplace Awards ceremony held at the County Hotel on 30 April.

The Healthy Workplace Awards are a joint initiative between public and private sectors including NHS Walsall Community Health, Walsall Council, Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust and the Chamber of Commerce with one simple aim – to make Walsall a happier and healthier place to work.

Partners in the scheme work with selected employers – private, statutory and voluntary - over a number of years, offering support including free employee health checks, quit smoking sessions, healthy lifestyle talks, policy development, (for example on drug and alcohol misuse) and access to the health trainer service which gives one to one individual support. Employers are able to progress through bronze, silver and gold award levels over time and the scheme already includes over 1500 employees.

In the last year, 22 workplaces have signed up to the scheme including West Midlands based distribution company, AF Blakemore and Son Ltd. (Spar’s distributors) who were awarded a bronze award. Staff have received a health MOT which gave them the opportunity to discuss issues such as healthy eating, getting fit, cancer awareness, smoking cessation, as well as receiving blood pressure, BMI and blood glucose (diabetes) checks.

SPAR Distribution’s HR Manager, Rob Clement said

“We recognise that there are many benefits associated with employing a healthy workforce, to both the business and its employees. We’re really pleased to have received our bronze award in the first year of our participation in the programme and we look forward to our silver and gold. There is no doubt that prevention is better than cure and if we can assist just a small proportion of our staff in maintaining a healthy lifestyle then it’s worthwhile.”

Alan Jarvis, Head of Lifestyle Services at NHS Walsall Community Health says, “The Healthy Workplace Awards Scheme offers positive benefits to all involved. Businesses benefit from a reduction in sick days, increased efficiency and an improved reputation; individuals benefit through improved health, better access to services and reduced risks of disease in the future; and the NHS benefits from a future reduction in demand for healthcare services.”   

Organisations that received their Healthy Workplace Award this week:

If any organisations in Walsall are interested in joining the Healthy Workplace Awards Scheme they should contact Alan Jarvis, Head of Adult Lifestyle Services, NHS Walsall Community Health on 01922 444132 or email alan.jarvis@walsall.nhs.uk