Why not become an outstanding example of a healthy company?

We spend a large part of our day working. We also do it at a demanding pace, where unforeseen events take place, giving rise to worry and stress, which often make us completely forget to take just a little care of ourselves by, for example, drinking water, taking a break, getting some fresh air, moving around and eating in a healthy way. We often leave tired, with little energy, and with little time to take care of our physical and mental health, something that we often put off, not giving it the importance it really deserves.

However, taking care of our health should be a priority at any stage of our lives, as it is the key to avoiding a wide range of diseases, and also because good health is essential in order to carry out our day-to-day activity with energy, vitality and a smile.

That’s why the working environment can be one of the keys to promoting the health of the staff.

Many companies around the world have already realised the benefits of implementing health-related measures. Thanks to this, there are already numerous studies that show the positive effects of health care, not only for the individual worker – an issue which has been extensively studied by the medical and scientific community – but also at a collective and business level, identifying improvements in mood that optimise the working environment and lead to a reduction of sick leave due to greater physical and mental well-being or an increase in motivation, energy and commitment of workers, among other things.

For this reason, since the beginning of the year, at LANDER we have been implementing a paradigm shift that involved prioritising people’s health at work.

But ... what do we mean by health? And, following on from this, what does it mean to be a healthy company?

According to numerous studies, such as the one referred to in an article by the Harvard Medical School, with just half an hour of moderately intense exercise a day we can avoid serious physical problems, from cardiovascular problems, diabetes or depression to various types of cancer. In addition, exercise helps us to sleep better, reduce stress, control our weight, improve our mood and our intellectual and cognitive performance. In short, regular exercise is the best thing anyone can do for their health.

According to reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO), a healthy diet helps protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) also points out that inadequate nutrition can result in a drop in productivity of up to 20%.

Stress is a paradoxical disease, because although it can kill us, it is also a necessary part of our lives. Without a certain level of stress, we would not be able to work, we would not have the necessary impulses to endure many things in life and we would lack emotion, but stress is also the source of a multitude of psychological and physical problems that we often forget.

Of all the pillars of well-being, there is one that might actually be more important than the rest when it comes to boosting the general well-being of workers.

It seems to be increasingly clear that social relationships are key to improving the physical, financial and emotional state of workers. Social well-being is fundamental for motivating and helping employees to participate in the other programmes of the well-being strategy.

Data from the latest Global Benefits Attitudes Survey by Willis Towers Watson proves that there is a direct connection between social well-being and physical, emotional and financial well-being.

Looking at everything that was analysed, we understood above all that being healthy necessarily implied taking health into account in a comprehensive way.

This reflection led us to identify four fundamental pillars on which to start working: physical health, nutritional health, emotional health and social health, all of which are closely linked to environmental health.

As a result of these reflections, the SENSES project was created, which aims to promote the health of employees in LANDER’s work environment.

The SENSES project has been underway since the beginning of 2023, and each new step has turned into a source of enjoyment and excitement for all of us in the company.

Most recently, last Friday we inaugurated the SENSES space, a collaborative space in the heart of San Sebastian where workers will be able to eat healthy food, rest and find the ideal place to work and enjoy spending time together in a collaborative way.

We will soon be revealing more information about the different actions we are taking in this first phase.

Like health itself, the SENSES project is a project that must evolve and that is essentially about a lifestyle – a way of working.

This being the case, at LANDER we are looking forward to continuing to take steps in this direction, hoping that after a few years we will be able to look back with satisfaction and see that we have contributed to society by developing a team of healthy and ultimately happier people, who face the new challenges of simulation technology with the greatest possible vigour and enthusiasm.