New Champions show vision

Specsavers Opticians at Crystal Peaks are the latest company to become a business champion and are committed to the Sheffield Let’s Change4Life programme. At the 2009 Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Business awards the practice scooped the NHS Sheffield Healthy Business award, so they were perfect candidates to be a champion.

Specsavers at Crystal Peaks have already shown commitment to their employees by introducing full health care screening for all staff as well as undertaking a stress survey to assess work life balance, holding dress down days and advocating flexible working hours.

Following the results of the first health screening session’s employees became noticeably healthy and more active. A second screening was carried out in September 2009 to assess any changes achieved and this provided extraordinary results.

The number of employees not taking any exercise was reduced from 42 per cent to 15 per cent, which the number of employees engaging in exercise increased from 19 per cent to 37 per cent. The number of staff who smoked reduced to just 5 per cent, 56 per cent of staff reduced their body fat, Cholesterol levels were reduced and the total weight loss amongst staff was more than 11 stone.

When I spoke to Director Gil Vasey he told me: “We were delighted to have won the healthy business award. As a practice we are both very customer and staff focussed and to be recognised for this is great.

“Our staff are a tremendous asset to our business and it is important that they feel valued and recognised and the health screening allowed us to do just that and indicated how much we care about their health. 

“Becoming a healthy business champion is a great way to motivate staff and ensure that you have a healthy and happy workforce. We are pleased and very proud to get involved with the Sheffield Let’s Change4Life initiative.”

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