Digicel promotes healthy lifestyle

23.NOV.07

Everyone has become accustomed to Customer Appreciation exercises where the focus is on the customer for at least a day.

Digicel turned that custom on its head this week and focused inwardly on its employees – the internal customer – when they observed their inaugural ‘Employee Appreciation Week’ under the theme ‘Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Workplaces’.{{more}}

“It’s fine to have customer appreciation exercise,” said Jerry George public relations manager, “but if employees don’t feel appreciated, or are unwell then fulfilling the objective of creating happy loyal customers could be compromised.

“In a business like Digicel where deadlines are aggressive, travel pervasive and execution is critical it is imperative that staff are made fully aware of the need to preserve and protect their health,” he added.

The week began on Monday morning with the staff participating in devotions led by Rev. Elton Watson. The Methodist Minister urged the workers to pay attention to their “physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness,” and to learn to deal with each other with courtesy and respect while managing conflicts with maturity.

He counseled that attention to the whole person was important for success at work and in life generally. Following the devotions the staff enjoyed a breakfast which focused on nutritionally sound foods.

Tuesday saw the employees arriving at work without having taken breakfast in an effort to be tested to establish their fasting blood sugar levels and also their blood pressure readings.

Some surprises were apparent as persons who hitherto did not know they were hypertensive found out that even though they were feeling well physically, they were diagnosed as hypertensive. Fortunately no one was diagnosed with high blood sugar.

There were sessions for males specifically, targeted at helping men to understand their need to do regular health checks with emphasis on checks of the prostate gland in particular in a country where prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths. Incidentally, this week was also the week where the Family Planning Organisation observed a week with special emphasis on men’s health.

Dr. Camille Nicholls spoke with the females about women’s health issues. Breast Cancer, cancer of the cervix and fibroids among other things were top of the areas of concern.

Physical fitness trainer, James Bentick whose expenses will be part sponsored by Digicel with the rest taken from the Social Club funds, has been engaged to put the staff through their paces in seeking to get into a regular exercise routine. Interested staff can begin a holistic exercise programme starting with a body cleanse over three days of a juice only diet and work out together.

At the beginning, records of each person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) will be taken along with other vital statistics against which progress will be measured.

“Digicel would like to encourage other employers to follow our lead and begin to encourage their employees to look after themselves,’ the public relations manager said, ‘it could only result in a win, win outcome.”