Mackay Regional Council is in the process of running its first boot camp, with participation numbers exceeding expectations.
Some 30 employees, including councillors and directors, are currently participating in the eight week program, which is run every Thursday at 6am and 5:30pm.
The 60 minute session is part of Council’s proactive approach to health, safety and wellbeing.
Located in tropical northern Queensland, Mackay Regional Council has a population of 116,000 people and employs 1,050 staff.
The boot camp is an initiative of Council’s Workplace Consultative Team’s Health and Wellbeing subcommittee.
The subcommittee’s primary focus is to develop a series of cost effective health promotion programs to better manage employee health and maintain productivity.
CEO Peter Franks said corporate organisations have a responsibility to invest in their employees’ health and wellbeing.
“Programs are very much run by Council staff and the ideas are generated from within the committee,” he said.
Peter Franks said studies have found that physical activity programs at work had the potential to reduce absenteeism and sick leave by up to 20 per cent.
“It is all about improving productivity and maintaining a healthy workforce, which is part of our employer of choice philosophy,” he said.
The cost of the boot camp is not subsidised by Council, but divided among the group and paid by attendees.
Other initiatives introduced by Council’s 13 member committee include an annual Health Expo and quarterly ‘Fruit Days’, with Council covering the cost of two pieces of fruit per person across all Council locations.
Council is also providing defensive driving courses for staff who volunteer to take them.
Peter Franks said with a fleet of about 500 vehicles, it was important to be proactive in avoiding accidents, therefore helping reduce costs and future insurance premiums.
“Like every organisation, we are feeling the impacts of rising insurance costs and this is one proactive measure we can take to minimise costs,” he said.
Council plans to hold another boot camp early next year to burn off any extra kilos gained over the Christmas holidays.
