Let’s get physical

BEN, the charity dedicated to supporting those working in the automotive industry, has launched a new physical health and wellbeing campaign pledging to help employees stay fit and healthy.

More than 23 million work days were lost due to work-related illness last year, with back, neck and shoulder issues – common for those in the automotive industry – the second highest cause of missing work.

BEN’s ‘Physical Health & Wellbeing’ campaign offers relevant information and guidance to industry staff on how to keep their workers healthy, while also highlighting the impact that employees’ physical health can have on employers through working days lost and the effect on the industry as a whole. The campaign offers practical advice to help prevent illness in the workplace as well as conditions that can also have a knock-on effect on an individual’s mental health and finances.

This is the fourth of BEN’s new Four Pillars framework, which covers mental health, financial health, social health and now physical health.

Jools Tait, business development director at BEN, said, ‘Physical fitness is especially crucial for automotive employees, many of whom are in physically demanding roles. Musculoskeletal (back, neck and, shoulder) issues are common for those working in the industry, resulting in physical incapacity and in people taking a lot of time off work.

‘Additionally, the positive effects that exercise can have on reducing stress and improving self-esteem have been well documented. Physical fitness can have a wide-reaching and lasting impact on other areas of life. We hope that this new campaign will help people take steps to get physically fit, leading to less stress and a more socially active lifestyle.’