Council battling to cut sickness rates with zumba, sport and song
Stoke-on-trent City Council workers talk to Richard Ault about various initiatives introduced to keep workers feeling happy in their jobs
“DESPITE the fact that there are fewer of us, there is a recognition that we are all working harder – and things are changing to get us to concentrate on our own health and wellbeing,” says Stoke-on-trent City Council worker Karen Capewell.
This week, figures have shown sickness absence at the city council has increased by nearly a third in the past four years, with staff taking around 38,000 days off sick in the past 12 months.
That is equivalent to every city council employee taking 10 days off a year through sickness, up from eight days in 2014.
However, the council says that figure is distorted by workers on long-term sick leave, and 2,058 workers – 54 per cent of the workforce – had no time off at all in 2017.
The authority also says it has introduced various measures to boost the wellbeing of its staff, such as counselling and a range of fitness clubs – led by employees – designed to keep workers fitter and happier in their jobs.
Karen, strategic manager for adult safeguarding quality and commissioner, believes the authority is a better place to work than it was, despite staff cuts which have seen the workforce shrink by about 4,000 employees since 2012.
The 51-year-old, of Bradwell – who relaxes by taking part in weekly zumba sessions at the council after a tough working day – said: “Some days I can feel quite stressed before I go to zumba.
“But when I come out I feel lighter, like a weight has been lifted. I go into work the next day feeling more refreshed.
“I have got a stressful job and [zumba] helps me to clear my mind and manage that stress.”
Ian Clarke, aged 43, of Blurton, relaxes by playing football during lunch breaks from his job as the city council’s strategic manager for prevention and enablement.
He said: “I enjoy my sport and I’m part of the football group that plays on a Thursday lunchtime. The oldest player is 71.
“It’s a bit of light relief. We can have a good laugh and it’s really good exercise.
“I look forward to having a bit of fun for an hour, then you can have a shower and you go back to work a bit tired, but you feel refreshed.”
Kevin Oakley, aged 53, answered a city council call for volunteers to train as running group leaders. He now runs the jogging club which meets three times a week after work and during lunch breaks.
Kevin, a senior commissioning officer, said: “When I go for a run after work, at 5.15pm, it clears my head. The lunchtime runs are good. You go out for 45-minutes, then you go back to work feeling much better.”
Iris Garside and Dawn Lancett, who both work in the council’s stay at home team, have 100 per cent attendance records over the past few years.
Wellbeing assistant Iris, aged 62, of Birches Head, said: “I don’t go to any of the clubs, I don’t have time. But if you have any problems, you can go to the seniors and they will sort it out, they are really good.
“But we are committed and fit enough – we have to be to go out to all the people who need help.”
Dawn, aged 55, of Baddeley Green – stay at home team co-ordinator – said: “We come in with bad coughs and colds because we are committed.
“We do get flu jabs and there is counselling, but I have never used that. I have used the council’s physiotherapy service for a strain, they were fantastic. It’s nice to know there are things in place to help.”
City director David Sidaway said: “The headline figure of 38,000 sick days does not give the full story. It needs to be seen in the context of over one million days of public service that we deliver every year, so in effect it is 3.8 per cent of the overall total of days worked.
“That means that 96 per cent of the available days are worked, which is on a par with the national average.
“We’ve introduced a number of initiatives to not only reduce sickness absence, but to improve health and wellbeing across our organisation as part of delivering a people centric organisation – putting our people first.
“For example, we set up a staff choir this year, and they have been singing festive carols for their colleagues in their own time. We run a range of initiatives focused on keeping people active.
“We’ve improved the way we communicate with staff, with weekly updates on health and wellbeing initiatives and support, which this week, for example, included links to stop smoking services and flu jab dropin clinics.”