Finland Post receives award for active development of workplace sports
13.12.2006
Finland Post has been awarded the first ever international Workplace Award, awarded to an organisation that promotes and activates employees’ fitness training in order to promote health. At the event, arranged in Helsinki, the award was presented by the Finnish Sport for All Association and Mr. Hamadi Benaziza, Health Education Specialist at WHO HQ, Mr. Ilkka Vuori, Active Workplace Moderator, and Chairman Didier Besseyre of the EFSC (European Federation for Company Sports). The Active Workplace Award will be an annual recognition.
– Finland Post Corporation is a clear No 1 in the management and development of workplace sports related issues in Finland, enthuses Jorma Savola, Secretary General to the Finnish Sport for All Association.
Fitness sports for health programme for the entire staff
The grounds given for the award mentioned that, within the last twelve years, Finland Post has developed the staff workplace sports programme from a sports-oriented, less motivating programme into a health-oriented fitness sports programme for its entire personnel, integrated into the Group’s wellbeing at work programme.
These activities have generated considerable cost savings for Finland Post Corporation in a twelve year period, due to less sick leave. Moreover, physical activity has a highly positive impact on staff self assessments on their general wellbeing and ability to work.
In 2003–2006, the share of those engaging in physical activity sufficient to promote their health was established at 60 per cent in Finland Post, 6 to 8 per cent higher than average for companies.
The purpose of Finland Post’s sports for health programme is to motivate passive employees to join in future, since occupational healthcare often prescribes more physical activity as treatment for various ailments.Finland Post’s staff ID card entitles holders to a discount at some 500 sports facilities nationwide,and the Posti Kulkee (Post on the Move) scheme arranges a variety of opportunities to test various sports and sports facilities in the Post’s own premises.
For us, sports-related benefits are a part of our everyday routines. The strategic goal of employee wellbeing at Finland Post is to promote the mental and physical wellbeing of employees, and to reduce and prevent muscular-skeletal disorders, sums up Tuike Karppinen, Vice President, Human Resources.
For further information, please contact Tuike Karppinen, Vice President, Human Resources, tel. +358 20 451 5250
