Teams across Anabas have been keeping mentally fit and healthy throughout the lockdown period by taking part in exercise challenges. Launched through the social fitness network, Endomondo, colleagues walked a mile a day in May for National Walking Month and tracked their active minutes in June and July for the Anabas Family ‘June Jaunts’ and ‘July Journeys’ challenges! August sees the return of the team to the Anabas head office and the teams are still looking to continue with the challenge with lunchtime walks and ‘walk and talk’ meetings.

Over the course of May, June and July, the team travelled 4249 miles, exercised for 1490 hours and burnt 529,288 calories. Launched by Anabas learning & development manager, Kirsty Gaunt, the programme has helped employees to beat the lockdown blues.

The news follows the launch of Anabas’ employee assistance programme (EAP) in April. The programme, provided through Health Assured, provides a confidential 24/7, 365-day helpline for advice on legal, financial, medical, and other personal issues for staff who may be struggling in such times of uncertainty. Anabas’ staff and their families can have individual counselling sessions, either face-to-face or by telephone, and there is unlimited access to online information including podcasts and downloads covering a wide variety of health-related topics.

Learning & development manager, Kirsty Gaunt commented:

“There is a proven link between exercise and mental health. By encouraging our teams to get outside and exercise in the permitted ways during the lockdown, they have boosted their health and increased the sense of being part of a team despite their geographical isolation.”

Alistair Craig, Managing Director added:

“One of our main focuses for 2020 is employee physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and so programmes like this have been essential to support our teams during the lockdown. As the team returns to the office, we will also be continuing to encourage staff to exercise on their lunch breaks and to continue with their great efforts.”

Find out more information about our employee assistance programme (EAP) we have in place to support wellbeing here: www.anabas.co.uk/anabas-eap-launch/