Independent car auction organisation Aston Barclay has launched a new military- and special forces-inspired wellbeing programme for its 350 employees, to support the mental and physical health of staff and assist long-term business goals.
The Prime Evolution programme, provided by Break Point and implemented in May 2019, has been designed by special forces soldier Ollie Ollerton and includes expertise from fitness and wellbeing specialist David Tilston and nutritionist Holly Brown.
The six-month programme, which centres around mindset, bodily movement and nutrition, uses military and special forces operational planning and tactics to help both employees and the organisation achieve defined long-term goals. As part of the programme, employees will be able to access guidance, motivation and challenges, as well as instructional videos and weekly meal plans.
Neil Hodson, group chief executive officer at Aston Barclay, said: “With an increasing awareness of mental health and general wellbeing within the workplace, we are delighted to work with Ollie in bringing this employee initiative to life.
“We have grown significantly as a business in recent years, as has our [employee] headcount. As our greatest asset, it’s vital we ensure our people are in good health physically and mentally, both personally and to optimise business performance. This initiative is designed to achieve just that and is something we are proud to have implemented.”
The wellbeing programme will be available across Aston Barclay’s six operating sites at Chelmsford, Donington, Leeds, Prees Heath, Wakefield and Westbury. The programme initially launched at Wakefield, where 150 employees are based. Ollerton and Tilston attended the site for the launch event and worked with around 50 staff members.
Prime Evolution forms part of the organisation’s wider mental health and wellbeing programme; this also includes manager training supported by automotive support charity Ben.
Stephanie Grace, HR director at Aston Barclay, added: “The physical and mental wellbeing of our people is critical to us as a business. One in four people experience mental health issues and we want a culture that encourages [employees] to talk to each other and seek support when they need it.”
