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Your next target at work may be to actually shed weight!
NEW DELHI: When Adidas India came up with its weight-loss initiative, Fitness Buddy, 40-year-old Manoj Juneja, a senior sales director with the company, set himself
NEW DELHI: When Adidas India came up with its weight-loss initiative, Fitness Buddy, 40-year-old Manoj Juneja, a senior sales director with the company, set himself a personal weight reduction target. “I chose the fitness goal to reach double-digit weight in two months. By the end of the year, the aim was to lose another 5-7 kg.”
Juneja is not alone. Around 100 of his colleagues are also working towards the same goal.
Other companies, including HDFC Bank, United Breweries, Marico Industries, Mahindra and Mahindra, Godrej Properties and Jubilant FoodWorks, are also encouraging employees to opt for healthy lifestyle, by setting targets and rewarding them for the same.
According to a study conducted by global advisory firm Towers Watson, stress, obesity, and physical inactivity are the three biggest risks to healthy lifestyle for people in Asia-Pacific, including India.
“It’s not just about making a gymnasium in office. Now, health programmes help employers meet crucial productivity goals and gain a competitive advantage,” said Arijit Sengupta, senior HR director, Adidas Group India.
Food services major Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd, which owns the India franchise for Domino’s Pizza chain and Dunkin’ Donuts in India, recently conducted a “biggest loser” competition to award employees who lose maximum weight in a quarter.
“We have also installed weighing machines at various places in our offices. Also, we have procured fitbits (wearable technology device that measure data, such as, number of steps walked, heart rate, quality of sleep and other personal metrics) for all our senior employees,” said Biplob Banerjee, executive vice-president, HR, Jubilant FoodWorks .
Companies are also investing in pedometer-based, mass-participation events.
Sample this. Stepathlon, a virtual platform which urges participants to walk 10,000 steps, has partnered with over 400 companies in India, including Tata Steel, Tata Power, Vedanta and Aditya Birla Group companies, in the last four years. A pedometer is a portable device, which counts each step a person takes by detecting the motion of hands or hips.
“Companies are taking the wellness of employees very seriously... It works not just as a wellness programme, but also as a very effective team building and engagement tool that helps organisations bring people together and work together for a common goal,” said Ravi Krishnan, CEO, Stepathlon Lifest yle, which has bagged several new clients for its upcoming race, including Bajaj Finserve, Zivame, Archidply and Accor Hotels.
