Get moving with Samen Sterk
The 2024 Health Checks revealed that many colleagues regularly experience physical discomfort at work—particularly in the neck, shoulders, and lower back. Time to take action together! There are several ways to get moving and keep your body pain-free. Below we share a few tips and suggestions.
1. Keep moving, even while working
Whether you spend your day sitting at a desk or standing at a workstation, it’s important to stay active. Sitting or standing in the same position for too long can make your body stiff and rigid (hello creaky knees and stiff neck!). By moving regularly—even just with short exercises—you activate muscles and joints that you barely use during work. This helps keep your body flexible.
How can you stay active during work?
- Start small. You don’t need to move for 15 minutes straight. Pick one or two stretches that feel good and do them briefly throughout the day.
- Identify moments in your workday when you could move more, such as during lunch, a meeting, or a quick coffee break. Link your “movement moment” to something you already do, like getting coffee or between two phone calls.
- Move together with colleagues. It can be tough to be the only one stretching or moving during work. Team up with colleagues to stretch calves, do a few squats, or swing your arms at the start of a meeting or after lunch. That way, you can help remind each other to stay active.
2. Create an ergonomic workspace
In addition to keeping your body moving, having a comfortable and safe workspace is also very important. This includes having a properly adjusted office chair or the right personal protective equipment. Below we share some of the options available at JBT Marel.
Office
The following resources are available for office environments:
- Laptop stand, footrest, and monitor riser – easily available via the repro service.
- Workspace check – a specialist will visit your office to make sure your workstation is properly set up, including your monitor, office chair, and footrest. Together with you, they’ll also assess whether additional tools could help prevent or reduce physical discomfort, such as a vertical mouse or lumbar support. Click here to find out who to contact to request a workspace check.
Tip: Lower the stands on your keyboard for a natural wrist position!
Manufacturing
The following resources are available for manufacturing environments:
- Additional personal protective equipment – every employee in manufacturing is provided with standard safety shoes, hearing protection, and safety glasses (prescription safety glasses if needed). For specific tasks, such as working at height, additional protective tools can be provided—think of proper ladders and/or lift tables to avoid overstraining your body.
- Orthotic insoles – are you on your feet all day and in need of insoles? Under certain conditions, JBT Marel will fully reimburse these.
- Anti-fatigue mats – do you often stand still in one place during your work? You can request an anti-fatigue mat. This is a soft (often rubber) mat to stand on while working. The soft material helps continuously redistribute the pressure of your body weight on your feet, which can help prevent leg pain and fatigue.
Click here for an overview of contact persons per location where you can request these resources or ask related questions.
Take advantage of the Samen Sterk program or start your own (exercise) initiative
Through the Samen Sterk program, there are various opportunities to get moving. Think of individual coaching, introductory sports classes, workshops, and more. Below are some of the options. Click on the offer to see what’s available at your location.
You can also use your SE hours to pursue your own initiative to become more active. For example, you might take an introductory class at a local sports club, join a sports clinic, or schedule a session with a sports or lifestyle coach. Click here to view the available options and conditions.
HSE contact persons
Boxmeer en Dongen
HSE Boxmeer
Opmeer en Nieuwkuijk
Sjef van den Tillaart