Oman Insurance Company (OIC) and GEMS Education are proud to join hands to promote wellness within the GEMS team, and to help members adopt the free comprehensive wellness program LivFit, that is a part of the OIC health insurance plan.
The initiative was formed given the increase of interest in health and wellness issues in the UAE, which has also resulted in the creation of various government driven programs. With educational institutes standing as the cornerstone of any community, the GEMS Education team recognize the importance of nurturing a conversation around the importance of making healthy choices a daily habit. Working with OIC towards this objective, GEMS briefed 26 voluntary Wellness Champions in June this year to raise awareness on the various components of the free LivFit Wellness program that is a part of its health insurance policy, with the aim of cascading the wellness message across the GEMS network through voluntary wellness ambassadors.
Dr. Yasser Khalifa, Head of Medical Insurance at OIC said: “In many ways, schools are a good seeding ground for positive lifelong habits. To promote wellness through an enthusiastic team of volunteers keen on the subject, is the most positive way to drive the important message of health and wellness forward. We are certain that the numerous workshops and activities in the pipeline will be positively received, adopted and propagated by our GEMS Education members.”
As a first step in the program the GEMS team was invited to take the free online Health Risk Assessment (HRA) Survey. This first step was a quick self-assessment to understand if there are any broad areas of concern to be addressed. The online assessment includes a quick calculation of a person’s BMI, an evaluation of dietary habits, and their sleep patterns, which contribute towards an overall score.
As a next step, a dedicated LivFit coach is available on call to help the member understand the results of their HRA score and plan a healthy lifestyle moving forward. The coach then suggests a personalized plan for members that includes signing up for some of the free fitness sessions available as part of the LivFit program as well as measuring progress on the tailor-made LivFit app.
Responding to the data collected from the GEMS overall online HRA survey that indicated that over 70% of respondents experience some level of stress at work, a workshop on Stress Management was included as part of the GEMS induction program hosted in August. The workshop outlined how to recognize common stress triggers and simple ways to manage them in order to be more efficient at work.
Encouraged by the HRA participation of over 1,500 GEMS members, the GEMS team is working alongside insurance partners Oman Insurance Company, to build further activities over the next quarter, promoting wellness and a healthier lifestyle to employees. Coming up in November is the ‘GEMS Wellness Lounge’ that will cover a series of health checkups for members at convenient locations within the GEMS premises.
Ms. Marissa Ellis, Vice President, People & Organization at GEMS said: “The GEMS Education team is happy to join forces for this fantastic partnership which promotes health and wellness for our staff. Across our network of schools, in light of the UAE government initiatives, healthy living is encouraged and with the introduction of such a tailor-made approach to fitness, employees can benefit from its ease of use and accessibility.”
