Health is not a competition - it's a lifelong mission

Never has remote working been as relevant as it is right now thanks to the pandemic. The 84codes team is very experienced, though, because working from wherever you want is business as usual for us. Whether your workspace is in your home or elsewhere, 84codes make sure it’s the best it can be.

Being active has been a natural part of us. Many of our employees have a hobby or an interest in some physical activity. Kite surfing, snowboarding, hiking, running, biking, you name it. As the remote-first company we are, freedom in time and place allows for hobbies and work to go hand in hand. Although, good company health is a lot more than promoting hobbies for those who have one. It is also more than doing sports. It concerns all of us at all stages in life, regardless of interest, priorities, and life situation.

Lunch Kite Surfing in Umeå, Sweden

With a growing company and a global pandemic striking, we needed to ensure that everyone was getting the support they needed to keep motivation up.

“The importance of a good, solid work-environmental plan for the company has always been on our minds. However, the pandemic situation forced us to high-prioritize health since our employees started to feel limited by the pandemic restrictions. The physical activities we were used to became unavailable. Gyms and other arenas were closing, some of us were losing the everyday walk from home to the co-working office, and some just felt a lack of motivation to get out of the house.“ said Linnea Johansson, CHRO at 84codes.

This insight was the start of a growing, broader, and company-structured health approach.

So, what did we do?

In terms of our everyday life, 84codes now offer several opportunities to maintain an active lifestyle. Scheduled physical activities (and equipment) are provided during work hours, walk-n-talks are added into everyone’s calendars, and optional challenges are some of the latest actions from an everyday health perspective.

“Some teams been doing walk-n-talks for a while, now the concept is added for everyone in the company. Also, every other week, there’s either Yoga or a CrossFit session free for everyone to participate in.”

Furthermore, during workaways, there are always physical activities planned for the group, which is a great way to combine team building with healthy breaks. “We ensure that there always are several options; if you don’t love downhill - there are other activities available. You should always have the opportunity to do what suits you best.”

Workaway in Åre, Sweden

Beyond this, the work environment plan also includes encouraging our staff members to stay active during periods we know can be more sedentary than others. In March we conducted health bingo which was very popular. With that said, this is solely optional and there is no pressure to participate. It should be encouraged as something fun, rather than mandatory.

That extra pat on the shoulder

To further inspire each other, a #health channel was set up on Slack to share achievements. In just a couple of weeks, the channel was fully up and running with everything from training sessions to smoothie recipes. The result was amazing!

Images from slack #health channel

Employee voices:

“It encourages me to keep up with my own practices (mainly yoga and meditation at the moment), and that they are complemented by the company activities.”

“It feels like the health channel itself is a friendly reminder that I have to prioritize my physical health.”

“I love the health channel, even if I don’t have the time to attend anything at the moment it inspires a lot.”

Ergonomy training

Next up is for the staff members to attend individual training in ergonomics based on a new health survey. “The results of the survey will enable us to learn individual suggestions from an ergonomist on problem areas. It will also be helpful when we go through everyone’s workstations, such as which chair is suitable for every individual,” Linnea says.

More images from slack #health channel

Final word

We want our employees to last, both physically and mentally. By allowing the physical activity and ergonomy take part in our everyday routine - we’re sensing that we’re doing the right thing.

We’re very pleased with what the health channel and the other actions have made for the company. The health aspect (individually and company-wise) was not missing before - but getting cheered at and acknowledged for deciding to take a run, rake leaves, go swimming or sit in the sun for a while, is boosting the feel of goodness for your body and mind. Again, health is not a competition - it’s a lifelong mission.

Until next time, Sofie & the 84codes team

Interested in joining our team? Visit our Career site for more information .