Empowering GAC North America Employee Wellness Through Innovative Challenges
Introduction
A leading provider of shipping and logistics services throughout the United States, GAC North America puts a high premium on the health and wellbeing of its workforce. And it has chosen the YuMuuv app as a key tool to guide employees through wellness challenges. This case study looks into the strategy, implementation and outcome of the collaboration and how the initiative is making a significant contribution to a culture of health at GAC.
Company Background
GAC’s shipping expertise covers various sectors, including dry bulk, general cargo, tankers, offshore Oil & Gas, LNG, LPG, Ro-Ro, and cruise. Their specialized logistics, maritime and support services are tailored to the needs of the energy sector, covering oil & gas, marine, and mining industries with services including case packing, air and ocean freight management, and project logistics.
The Challenge
The company considers its people as its most valuable asset. In recognition of that, the management decided to launch a platform to promote wellness and foster a sense of community and mutual support in the daily working lives of its employees in a seamless, engaging manner. To do so, they turned to YuMuuv's platform known for its focus on easy-to-participate, engaging wellness challenges that encourage active participation.
The Strategy
The collaboration with YuMuuv started with a simple yet effective water intake challenge, aimed at raising awareness among staff about the importance of staying properly hydrated. This was followed by a walking challenge, designed to promote physical activity while cultivating competitive spirit and camaraderie among employees.
Real-Life Impacts
Luisa's Journey to Wellness
Luisa Holloway, General Manager, Brokerage for GAC North America Logistics, initially joined the water challenge, but soon signed up for the walking challenge too, which she found addictive and beneficial. She credits it to spurring her to integrate walking into her daily routine, which has significantly improved her health and motivates her to continue. What’s more, the social aspect where employees encourage each other helped maintain momentum and nurture a supportive community.
Advocacy for Mental Health
GAC’s Group Vice President for the Americas, Darren Martin’s active participation inspired colleagues nationwide to take part, which brought the added bonus of promoting greater engagement between the shipping and logistics teams.
Additionally, Commercial Manager Michelle Guggina played a key role as a mental health first aid champion, strategically aligning the wellness challenges with broader organizational goals of promoting holistic wellbeing.
Outcomes and Feedback
The YuMuuv challenges led to several positive outcomes for GAC North America:
• Community Building: Employees from a wide range of locations and departments came together, breaking down silos and fostering a sense of unity.
• Health Benefits: Participants reported significant health improvements, including weight loss, increased activity levels, and better joint health.
• Sustained Engagement: The camaraderie and friendly competition created led to continued engagement that went beyond the challenges’ initial duration.
• Educational Value: The YuMuuv app also served as an educational platform, raising awareness and prompting discussions on wellness topics.
• Future Plans: Feedback showed that staff are keen to see more varied challenges and integration with other health platforms. Plans are underway to expand the wellness initiatives.
Conclusion
The YuMuuv-GAC North America collaboration demonstrates the transformative potential of well-conceived wellness challenges in nurturing a healthy, engaged and united workforce. With strategic implementation, showcasing real-life stories of its positive effects, and an unwavering focus on community and wellness, the partnership demonstrates the impact of innovative corporate wellness solutions. As GAC North America continues to build on this foundation, its experience offers valuable lessons for other companies seeking to enhance employee wellness and, consequently, achieve greater organizational success.
