Consider the health of your employees this World Health Day
Bernie Stribling, Assistant Director of International and External Business Development
World Health Day is celebrated annually on 7 April, led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to shine a spotlight on a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The focus this year (2024) is on ‘my health, my right’.
There is strong evidence that shows too much sitting is bad for our health and wellbeing and can be costly to employers and the NHS. In the UK, physical inactivity is associated with 1 in 6 deaths and is estimated to cost the UK £7.4 billion annually*.
Employers have a responsibility to consider the health and wellbeing of their workforce, and in return can benefit from higher levels of productivity and less absenteeism if the right solution is invested in.
The LDC Health and Wellbeing solutions have been developed by leading researchers and healthcare professionals from the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and the University of Leicester.
Bernie Stribling, Assistant Director of International and External Business Development at the LDC, explains: “Our solutions can be tailored to suit all business needs, whether the workforce is office based, hybrid working, or on the move in the transportation sector. We have evidence that shows our programmes improve not just productivity, but also wellbeing, stress, physical activity, diet and reduce weight.”
The programmes include:
SMART work and life
Supports staff across an organisation to sit less throughout the day, whether in the office or at home, and during leisure time.
Structured Health Intervention for Truckers (SHIFT)
HGV driving is considered a high-risk occupational group. The working environment for HGV drivers can make it easy for them to fall into unhealthy habits, such as extended periods of sitting, low levels of physical activity and short sleep, which can harm their health. Experts from Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC) have developed a health behaviour programme to specifically target this group, called the ‘Structured Health Intervention for Truckers’ (SHIFT) which has subsequently been evaluated by the team at Loughborough University.
Steps4Health (S4H)
Did you know as little as 10 minutes of brisk walking daily can increase life expectancy by several years? S4H is an online web application (app) for anyone over 18 years old wanting to become more active or anyone living with a long-term health condition.
Whether it’s facilitating staff to go for a brisk walk during break times or finding out more about the LDC solutions, take a step to improve health at your workplace to benefit both your company and your employees this World Health Day.
Visit: www.leicesterdiabetescentre.org.uk/workplace-wellbeing
*https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health#:~:text=Physical%20inactivity%20is%20associated%20with,35%25%20less%20active%20by%202030.