EDF Energy staff encouraged to make healthy choices

Staff at EDF Energy

A Sunderland customer contact centre is proving that staff health and well-being really is at the heart of the company.To encourage its staff to learn more about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, EDF Energy has installed a new health kiosk at its Doxford customer services centre.

The special interactive machine can be used by staff on a voluntary basis to check a range of fundamental health indicators including body weight, body mass index (BMI), heart rate and blood pressure.

The use of the special health kiosk is being linked to a campaign to promote the benefits of health and well-being, part of a wider understanding that a healthy and happy workforce is crucial to the success of a company.

The free health checks will complement the work carried out throughout the year by in-house occupational health specialists and fitness instructors at the company’s on-site gym.

To encourage healthy eating, the staff restaurant already provides healthy menu options every day and all items displayed on the menu have a complete calorie and fat breakdown.

Kevin Gatens, director of customer services at EDF Energy, Doxford, said: “A healthy workforce is important in terms of benefits to the business and the individual.

“Everyone is aware that lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, diet and physical activity can have a big influence on someone’s health. A healthy diet and regular exercise is great for the body and mind – increasing energy levels and mental sharpness.

“These benefits often help people feel less stressed, which in turn leads to a better working environment.”

Efforts to develop a healthy workforce have seen EDF Energy previously host smoking cessation sessions for staff, as part of an on-going programme of health-focused initiatives which run throughout the year.

The health kiosk will be on site at Doxford for the next month, before moving to other EDF Energy sites. It will return later in the year, for staff to check on any improvements made.

EDF Energy employs more than 1,500 staff in Sunderland, the company’s largest UK operation. They provide crucial customer contact and billing services for residential and small business customers across the country and are responsible for managing more than 30 million energy bills each year.

22 Apr 2009

Filed under Call Centre News