Today’s lifestyle has a great impact on the wellbeing of people, fueling inactivity for many. In 2017, over 131 million UK working days were lost to illness, and much of that can be attributed to a lack of physical activity. Employees that are in the office environment know all too well how easy it is to settle into their desk jobs, pushing exercise out of their minds completely. When lives get busy and schedules become hectic, exercise is often the first activity that gets eliminated, and the hardest for people to re-add into their routine.
UK charity, Active Nation, has taken it upon themselves to battle the challenge of inactivity, and focus on the basics of simply getting people moving. Active Nation prides itself on being more than just the four walls of a leisure center, but a place that delivers innovative activities out in the community while working to persuade people to be more active. Because their team is a group of doers, not talkers, Active Nation took the leap to partner with Myzone, implementing a company-wide wellbeing campaign that is helping to build activity into their own workplace.
"By the end of 2018, 100 percent of our full-time team were consistently achieving 1300 MEPs a week"
“The results are impressive. With our 26 strong leadership team and 150 full-time staff signed up to the wearable, we have firmly embedded the wellbeing strategy in our organization – by the end of 2018, 100 percent of our full-time team were consistently achieving 1300 MEPs a week,” said Mathew Smallwood, Group Communications Manager for Active Nation.
Active Nation has established a continuous goal: To get more people, more active, more often. To do so, they have decided to lead by example and begin with changing themselves, challenging the idea that the office environment is an activity free zone, a stereotype that is often associated with corporate culture.
"Five of our senior team were in the top 20 of Myzone’s Global Industry Leader Board"
“In 2018 five of our senior team were in the top 20 of Myzone’s Global Industry Leader Board. In 2017 Managing Director, Stuart Martin lead the global table, gaining over 100,000 MEPs in 12 months. Dave Rolls, Kevin Lane and Mark Learnihan, all directors, finished in the top 10,” said Smallwood.
Myzone was created to help people understand exactly what they are doing during exercise and how often they are doing it, while also providing accurate data at the customer’s fingertips, making it easy to track their progress throughout their journey. Myzone allows for engagement, motivation, and communities to flourish. With built-in challenges, personal goals, gamification, commenting on workouts through the app, and sharing workouts through social, users are motivated to sustain physical activity.
"Myzone has created a real buzz in the team"
Business Development & Partnership Director for Active Nation, Mark Learnihan, says, “We’re more successful as an organization since implementing the workplace wellbeing campaign. Myzone has created a real buzz in the team; it has been incredible to see the increased motivation, morale, energy and productivity.”
Active nation is currently operating in 20 UK sites, as well as a range of parks and open spaces. By sticking to their core values, Active Nation uses enthusiasm and passion in persuading the benefits of physical activity. The team is proactive in dealing with the needs of their supporters and takes full responsibility in fulfilling promises. The decision to use Myzone throughout the campaign has helped to establish a social side to exercise, providing a sense of community and support to all throughout their personal fitness journeys.
"We actively encourage our supporters to use their Myzone belts"
“Ten of our venues offer a Myzone hub on site, but we actively encourage our supporters to use their Myzone belts whether they are skiing on our slopes, out on the water or enjoying our outdoor venues. Our latest venue, Atmosphere Trampoline Park, located in Basingstoke will also actively encourage people to use Myzone to track their fitness,” says Learnihan.
Active Nation is paving the way for a healthier UK, and Myzone couldn’t be prouder, and more excited to be a technology platform that is helping to support their journey.
