Work / Life Balance is Healthy at Shell

Keen to promote a healthy, happy workforce, Shell Global Solutions, based in Chester, originally launched an on-site fitness facility in 1990. The gym was a present for its 500 employees to mark the company’s 50th anniversary. Fifteen years on, the gym was upgraded and moved to a new site which provides three times as much space and offers employees a choice of over 30 stations of cardiovascular and strength training equipment.

On selecting Life Fitness pre-owned Treadmills, Cross-Trainers and Lifecycles, Pete comments: “I was very familiar with the Life Fitness brand and felt that the fully refurbished equipment gave us the opportunity to buy into the reliability and safety provided by the leading fitness equipment supplier, at a cost that represented good value for money.”

He continues: “Since opening in 1990, the gym had evolved with an array of different machines from various suppliers and I really wanted to get some standardisation across the equipment. The Life Fitness machines are easy to use and non-intimidating, which was another important factor to consider for our employees, many of whom are new to exercise.”

All Shell employees and long term contract staff are, after a full fitness assessment, able to use the gym if they wish and over half of them have chosen to register to use the facility. With an average of 50-60 visits per day, usage has steadily increased since the introduction of the Life Fitness equipment. Pete also runs a programme of lunchtime group exercise sessions offering activities ranging from yoga and Tai Chi to salsa dancing.

Pete concludes: “Our company ethos is to ensure that our employees take care of themselves and enjoy a healthy work / life balance. Going to the gym or attending an exercise class a couple of times a week is an excellent way for staff to de-stress, unwind and maintain a sense of wellbeing, and ultimately this tends to lead to a happier and more productive workforce.”

 

BACK TO LIST OF ARTICLES