A little friendly competition can make adopting healthy lifestyle habits more fun. In September, the City of Philadelphia's Division of Aviation kicked off its PHL Well employee wellbeing program by encouraging staff members to increase their daily water intake and reduce consumption of sugary drinks. Yolanda Parks of the Airport's Purchasing Administration Unit led the way, drinking more than 1,120 ounces of water to win the Hydration Station Challenge.
"Many of our employees really got into the spirit of the challenge and submitted videos of their accomplishments," said Stacey Moragne, Executive Assistant (HR). "Now the goal is for them to not only continue drinking and record their water intake, but also encourage their colleagues, family, friends and even our passengers to do the same."
The second PHL Well activity challenges staff to get moving and up their daily steps by walking every day for 30 days. "The City’s MyActiveHealth program recommends 5,000 daily steps for physical fitness and the American Heart Association recommends 10,000 steps - or a five-mile walk- every day," said Moragne. "We know our employees can crush those goals."
Not only is this challenge an opportunity for employees to work on their individual wellness journeys, it is also an chance for employees to connect with one another on the collective goal of feeling better. Employees can form teams and submit their total team step counts each week.
"There are so many ways to participate. We encourage all employees to think outside of the box, whether it's walking on their down time, taking the stairs instead of elevators or coming together outside of work. You don’t need fancy equipment to walk- just get up and go," said Moragne. "And being in the airport- whether for work or traveling, isn’t an excuse. Staff and guests can walk the terminals. It’s 1.5 miles from gates A-26 to F-38."
For added inspiration, PHL Chief Operations Officer Keith Brune will share his health journey at a virtual brown bag workshop later this month. "Even in competition, we are all pulling for each other. To know we have shared experiences, makes the journey easier."
