See the difference we made at Kier Group plc and find out how your business can benefit too. Improve staff health and wellbeing in a few simple, proven steps....
The ‘Beat the Seat’ programme Our unique, two-month programme supports and encourages your employees to make everyday behaviour changes that deliver a long-term positive effect for your business. We tailor every programme to ensure it fits seamlessly within your working environment so it has negligible impact on work schedules but maximum effect on staff health and wellbeing. Physical benefits • Increased productivity • Improved staff health • Reduced absenteeism • Enhanced employee retention • More staff taking individual responsibility for managing their health Observable benefits • Increased staff engagement • Boosted morale • Enhanced employer-employee relationship • Raised awareness of your employee ethic • Clear example of corporate social responsibility at work The programme is cost-effective too – starting from as little as £32/employee
STEP ONE: health checks Every employee gets a comprehensive health check so we can tailor the BtS programme to their individual needs. STEP TWO: habit checks We help educate staff about poor office habits – particularly prolonged sitting – and gently nudge people towards more productive habits instead. STEP THREE: active office Easy physical challenges are just one way BtS helps people to move more, sit less and become even more productive. STEP FOUR: success Our continued support means staff achieve their health goals and keep their new, active work habits for the long-term – a great result for them and their company.
Scientifically proven To evaluate how staff can avoid ‘the sitting disease’ at work, Beat the Seat collaborated with The University of Bedfordshire and the Leicester Diabetes Centre in a thorough scientific evaluation. The aim of the research was to establish what effect the simple behaviour changes advocated by BtS had on office staff health at Kier Group’s UK headquarters.
The results: Staff sat less, got more active, lost weight and improved their health. They did that without the changes in routine affecting their work and without the need to buy in costly new furniture or re-design the office. • Each participant reduced their waist size by nearly an inch (2.2cm) and lost approx 2kg. • Everyone did 16minutes more activity every day – that’s the majority of their daily recommended amount. • There was a 19% average increase in movement at work – meaning that, over a year, most people could have walked from London to Paris! • Prolonged sitting (the habit that does the damage) was reduced by 23% – giving staff and their health a massive boost. • 95% of participants were happy and felt their experience was beneficial. • 71% of participants reported they felt better in themselves during and after the intervention. • 96% of participants agreed a health intervention at work was important to them. • 100% agreement that newly adopted behaviours did not hamper work demands or productivity.
“From day one it made you think about your whole working day, how you sit, stand, take breaks or lack of, as you get engrossed in your daily tasks/working day. The things you put in place are small things that make such a difference, and I’ve managed to move this not just within my team but into my home life and with other family members. The best thing is that, although the programme’s finished, it’s now part of my daily routine and has made me more aware of what needs to be done and continually needs to be addressed. I am so glad that I took part in this experience.” Kier Fleet Senior Supervisor
Beat the Seat supports your staff to make small, realistic changes to their everyday routines that contribute to better health, reduced absenteeism and improved productivity.
Why? Because over their careers office workers can spend 80,000 hours sitting. That’s 76% of every working day. Because prolonged sitting (more than 30 mins) is known by scientists as ‘the sitting disease’ as it increases the risk of many diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Because workers in sedentary roles for more than 10 years double their risk of colon cancer. “Results confirmed that overall; participants lost weight, reduced inches around their waists, increased their daily activity and reduced their sitting time. Feedback from the participants was very positive and most agreed that not only did they feel better in themselves but that a health intervention at work was important to them.” Carol Wells, HR Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Keir Group plc
Because regular exercise is no defence against ‘the sitting disease’ but behaviour change is. Because absenteeism due to ill health currently costs UK businesses £554 per employee per year. Because better health and wellbeing reduces staff turnover, boosts job satisfaction and raises the company profile. Find out how our workplace programmes could reduce these risks, without having an impact on the working day: Ring Janet on 01243 767339 or email info@beattheseat.co.uk