Allianz wellbeing programme reduces absence levels

EXCLUSIVE: Allianz Worldwide Care has reduced its staff absence levels from 1.71% in 2012 to 1.46% with the help of its new health and wellbeing programme.

The programme, which was launched in January 2013 to maintain the high level of engagement across the business, covers five main categories: exercise and fitness, diet and nutrition, emotional wellbeing, occupational health, and general health and wellbeing.

Claire Cusack, head of HR at Allianz Worldwide Care, said: “We have consistently achieved high engagement scores, which is very reflective of our business.

“But we wanted to ask ourselves: How do we retain this high level of engagement among our staff and support them also in their personal needs, in order to bring balance to their work and life?

“We decided to put in some kind of a programme to focus on work-life management.”

The health and wellbeing programme, which is available to 630 employees based at the employer’s head office in Dublin, includes information and voluntary activities for staff to attend throughout the year.

These include on-site yoga, organic fruit deliveries, stress and relaxation seminars, health assessments, blood checks from Diabetes Ireland, roadshows on cancer awareness, flu vaccinations, a free month’s pass to a local gym and sports activities, such as rugby and football leagues.

The organisation will host a homeopathy seminar, which will focus on stress and mental health issues, in May.

Allianz Worldwide Care had previously provided employees with a private medical insurance scheme and an employee assistance programme.

The new health and wellbeing programme was communicated via emails, noticeboards, posters and the company newsletter.

“We also do things like desk drops, so when it was launched everyone got a KitKat on their desk with the health and wellbeing calendar,” said Cusack.

Allianz Worldwide Care’s annual employee engagement index has also risen by 5% following implementation of the programme. Cusack added: “We always measure our engagement, absenteeism and turnover.

“We can actually see the successes of the programme through those metrics that we have.”

The programme is to be rolled out to nearly 200 employees based in the organisation’s other global offices, including Dubai and Shanghai.