JIS to Host Company Fitness Tour

The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) is to host a Company Fitness Tour, aimed at  exposing employees to information on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The event, which will be held on Tuesday (September 15), at JIS’ head office in Kingston, is being held in partnership with the Jamaica Fitness Association (Jamfit).

“I think it is so important for (workers) to incorporate exercise in their daily routine because not only does it help them in their physical well-being but it is also good in allowing them to be vibrant at work,” Director of Jamfit, Karelle Jones, told JIS News.

“Exercise releases endorphins that you need in the brain to achieve more work and not be as lethargic throughout the day and gives you more energy to do more things and hence (be) more productive,” she noted further.

The fitness tour is in its third year and Mrs. Jones said that selecting JIS as one of the companies to benefit this year is “quite fitting” as a Jamfit instructor is now working with some employees in preparation for the National Health Fund’s Work it Out challenge.

In the meanwhile, Director of Human Resources at JIS, Bernita Locke, said the partnership with Jamfit comes at an ideal time as since November 2014, the agency has been promoting wellness among staff.

“JIS encourages this wellness thrust with Jamfit in recognition of the fact that a healthy workforce is a productive workforce. These fitness initiatives help to relieve stress and thereby make for fewer instances of absenteeism due to illness,” she said.

Mrs. Locke is encouraging other companies to join the initiative.

The Company Fitness Tour will include a presentation on wellness from Mrs. Jones as well as activities for Jamfit’s upcoming Fitness Week, which is slated for November 2-7.

There will also be product sampling from several sponsors on the day, including LASCO, KFC Salads, Pharmaton, Ensure and Adidas.

A total of 43 companies are expected to participate in this year’s company tour, which runs from September 7 to October 31.