Promoting wellness
Allpack Industries Ltd. staff are lined up in a queue with their navy-blue aprons and industrial noise-canceling headphones chatting in low voices, smiling, and laughing at comments made by one of them. It is a good day when everyone is all smiles, don’t you agree? Who wouldn’t be happy to be in a space where their health and wellbeing are valued? Throughout the year, Allpack Industries Ltd. hosts wellness training and medical camps conducted by healthcare experts, for employees, their families and community schools within the area in which they operate.
‘‘As of February, to date, we have had sensitization forums with shop floor workers on disability, first aid, cancer, TB, HIV, financial wellness, blood donation, and two medical camps both at the company and at a community school. We also have more wellness trainings lined up till September this year.’’ Says Veronica Emma CSR officer and Nurse at Allpack.
She added that when they began this programme, she would talk to staff during teatime for only 15 minutes but as they moved progressively, they started seeing an improvement in employee performance and a reduction in sick offs.
Currently, due to the high population and different working hours at the factory, the wellness forums are organized in 8 sessions a month to ensure that everyone is sensitized. The medical camps last a day however, every employee including their family is allowed to be part of it.
Veronica also highlighted that the wellness forums are conducted on a need basis and topics of discussion are suggested by employees at the beginning of the year.
‘‘There are services I could not afford but this wellness programme has allowed us to be part of medical camps that have free medical screenings, doctor consultations, and treatments. The wellness sensitization forums have also been very educative for instance the financial wellness session enabled me to learn how to budget based on my earnings.’’ Said Christopher Okwero an engineer from Allpack.
This exercise has benefitted over 250 employees and has served as a motivation for their staff.
‘‘My scope of knowledge has improved, I can conduct first aid and am aware of prevention techniques for various ailments.’’ Said Nicodemus Nzioka a printing officer at Allpack.
‘‘The health of our staff is of the utmost importance to us, we are driven by our inner desire to make our employees better which is why the Employee Wellness Programme is a crucial component of our organization’s structure.’’ Said Veronica Emma.