Local businesses sign up to the 'January Challenge'

Local businesses and employers are partnering with the local NHS to launch the ‘January Challenge’ which aims to increase awareness about the effects of excessive drinking amongst 24-35 year olds living and working in Brighton and Hove.

The January Challenge is a fun, light-hearted and non-judgemental awareness campaign that will run throughout January 2010 to help 24-35 year olds stick to cut down their drinking and start the New Year in a healthy way! Michelle Kane, Senior Health Promotion Practitioner from NHS Brighton and Hove says, “The January Challenge is an opportunity for Brighton and Hove employers to support their staff in being more healthy.  We want to invite as many local organisations as possible to join us in encouraging their staff to take part.”

Evidence shows that employers can have a positive impact upon staff health and well-being through workplace initiatives which promote healthier lifestyle choices during the working day and after work. 
There are also significant business benefits for employers to promote healthy lifestyles such as greater staff motivation, productivity, improved team relations and fewer absences due to sickness.
The Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) recently estimated that approximately 17 million working days are lost annually due to alcohol-related absences in the UK, and up to 20 million working days are lost annually due to alcohol-related reduced employment. 

A recent report by Norwich Union Healthcare (2007) also found that 10% of employees reported having hangovers at work at least once a month, and 5% admitted to hangovers at work once a week. 

Employers who are interested in being part of the January Challenge initiative can register their interest or download a January Challenge Employers Pack now at: www.januarychallenge.co.uk.

The Employers Pack offers a range of ready-to-use, branded resources to help businesses and organisations promote participation in the January Challenge amongst their employees, without heavily impacting upon their own time or resources.  It includes:

•    a branded January Challenge emailer for circulating to staff
•    posters and other promotional literature for use in the workplace
•    articles and press releases for use in staff newsletters and other publications.


Once individual staff members have registered to take part in the January Challenge, they will be invited to fill out a short questionnaire designed to get them thinking about how they can reduce their alcohol consumption, and will receive daily motivational messages and reminders throughout the January Challenge month.

For more information about the January Challenge or to sign up now, please visit: www.januarychallenge.co.uk

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