DUBAI: The second round of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s ‘Sehhati’ wellness initiative, which encourages employees to live healthier and more active lifestyles, has successfully concluded with participants noticeably fitter and slimmer after completing the 10 week programme.
Launched last year, Sehhati goes beyond one-off fitness classes and health tests by encouraging staff to compete against one another and in teams over a number of weeks.
Participants are judged on the number of steps taken, floors climbed, calories burned, fat lost and hours spent sleeping, which are tracked using a Fit bit wrist band.
At the start, middle and end of the programme participating staff have a full-body analysis to monitor their progress and are supported in achieving their health and weight loss goals by individual coaching sessions and attending group fitness classes.
Prizes were awarded to the most improved individual and the person who took the highest number of steps, as well as the team with the highest number of steps.
Some 20% of participants joined the programme again for the second round, with the group losing a total of 47kg of fat and taking 22 million steps – the equivalent of walking from Dubai to the North Pole.
Essa Al Zaabi, Senior Vice President, Institutional Support Sector, Dubai Chamber, said the success of Sehhati showed Dubai Chamber’s commitment to providing a positive and healthy work environment for its employees.
“Having healthy employees is important as it increases productivity and creates a more positive mind-set amongst staff. Here in the Emirates where there are high rates of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, we all need to do what we can to lead healthier and fitter lifestyles,” he said.
“Dubai Chamber supports its staff become healthier and more active through special initiatives like Sehhati, as well as offering an annual gym membership allowance and holding dedicated workshops and talks for staff throughout the year,” Mr Zaabi added.
Since its launch in 2014 Sehhati has empowered staff to lead healthier and more active lives. The first round saw staff lose a total of 51.8kg of fat and absenteeism among participants decline by 12.63%, helping to boost productivity.
Sehhati is part of Dubai Chamber’s broader commitment to corporate social responsibility, which includes first aid and fire safety training for staff, team-building events and green building initiatives, as well as a full training calendar and a work volunteering programme.
