1. corporate wellness initiative

2. Why should you be thinking about the wellbeing of your
workforce?
What is mer-ka-bah?
How is mer-ka-bah different?
How could we support your workforce?
What can I do next?

3. Why should you be thinking about the wellbeing of your
workforce?
What is mer-ka-bah?
How is mer-ka-bah different?
How could we support your workforce?
What can I do next?

4. Sub-optimal physical and mental health takes a
huge toll on organisations
131 million days were lost due to sickness
absences in the UK in 2013 – an average of 4.4
days per worker1 ,2
2013 figures by PricewaterhouseCoopers put the
annual cost of sickness absence at £28.8 billion
for UK organisations. 2
A CIPD absence management survey in 2013
found that the median cost of absence to
employers per employee per year stood at £595
On average, that would buy about one week of
a productive employee’s time3,4

5. Presenteeism could have as much or greater
impact than absenteeism
“Prestenteeism” is people working while
subject to suboptimal health
The loss of productivity that occurs due to
mental health related “presenteeism”
alone costs the UK economy £15.1 billion
per annum 5

6. Many of the leading causes of absenteeism are
preventable by healthy living practices
Musculoskeletal conditions (such as back and
neck pain) led to 31 million days lost in 20136
Stress, anxiety or depression led to 15 million
days lost in 2013.6
It has been projected that the total global lost
output from Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases,
Chronic Respiratory diseases, Cancer and
mental health conditions will be nearly US$ 47
trillion over the period 2011-20307
Musculoskeletal
Mental health
Chronic disease

7. Poor lifestyle habits are extremely prevalent
amongst the UK workforce
62% of respondents surveyed for the 2014 Britain’s Healthiest Company Report
showed at least two lifestyle habits that put them at serious risk of future ill health8
Diet
Exercise
Alcohol
Smoking
52% don’t eat healthily enough and don’t have a balanced diet
39% are or have impacted their health through smoking
36% are not exercising enough
19% drink too much alcohol

8. Organisations are taking notice
“A more proactive approach needs to be taken around
wellbeing and prevention. However, interventions by
companies need to be co-ordinated and targeted to
address the underlying health risks in order to be most
effective.”
-
-Neville Koopowitz, Chief Executive of PruHealth with
Vitality9

9. “We’re now seeing an upswing in the numbers of
companies looking to implement programmes that
engage employees on their health which would allow
the employer to play an active part in helping
employees make the right choice.”
- Chris Bailey, Head of Corporate Consulting for
Employee Health & Benefits at Mercer 9
Organisations are taking notice

10. “Forward-looking companies will invest in health and
wellbeing services to tackle the issue before absence
starts to hit their bottom lines. This is particularly
relevant for start-ups and SMEs, where the cost of
absence can be crippling.”
- Jon Andrews, HR consulting lead at
PricewaterhouseCoopers10
Organisations are taking notice

11. ‘‘If I’ve got fewer people off sick my insurance rates
come down, the business is much more productive and
people work better together. It hits the bottom line in a
real way.”
-
-Malcolm Horton, deputy head of human resources at
Nomura 11
Organisations are taking notice

12. Many large corporations have implemented
multi-level support programmes aimed at
prevention and the promotion of good health
Runs the Search Inside Yourself programme for its global employees, which
uses the practices of mindfulness to train emotional intelligence skills,
leading to resilience, positive mindset, and centered leadership.
Provide on-site wellness centre where there’s an equal share of resources
between physical and emotional health. Employees have free access to
cognitive behavioural therapy, life and career coaches
Offers employees a large health facility where staff can pay for a reduced-
price membership and access classes such as yoga and meditation. It also
offers one-offs, such as a six-week mindfulness course
Runs health challenges several times a year, eg last summer it set one on
hydration, where staff could record everything they drank digitally
Google
Adidas UK
Nomura
Quintiles

13. Research by PWC reveals a multitude of
business benefits can arise from corporate
wellness programmes12
Intermediate benefits Financial benefits
Sickness absence
Overtime payments, temporary recruitment,
permanent staff payroll
Employee satisfaction
Staff turnover
Recruitment costs
Accidents & injuries
Legal costs / claims, insurance premiums,
healthcare costs
Productivity
Revenues
Overtime payments, permanent staff payroll
Company profile Recruitment costs
Employee health & welfare Healthcare costs
Resource utilisation Management time

14. Why should you be thinking about the wellbeing of your
workforce?
What is mer-ka-bah?
How is mer-ka-bah different?
How could we support your workforce?
What can I do next?

15. We are a health & wellness platform offering video training from various
teachers in physical, mental, and social wellbeing, as well as change
support coaching to assist you in overcoming the barriers to living a
balanced, energetic, joy-filled life!
mer-ka-bah means
light, spirit, body.

16. Physical Mental Social
We ascribe to the World Health Organisation
definition of health, ie: a complete state of
physical, mental and social wellbeing
how you manage
your body and
encompasses the
areas of fitness,
nutrition and sleep.
your state of mind
and feelings, ie:
coping with stressful
situations, happiness,
and finding
emotional harmony
and peace of mind.
cultivating mutually
enriching
relationships,
communicating
confidently, and
being an engaged
and responsible
citizen.

17. Wellbeing is best achieved by optimising all
three components of our health – physical,
mental and social
By building strong foundations in our physical, mental and social lives, we can live
more congruently with our authentic selves, making us more in tune and happier
with who, and where, we are.
Personal growth • consciousness •
self actualisation
Physical Mental Social

18. Why should you be thinking about the wellbeing of your
workforce?
What is mer-ka-bah?
How is mer-ka-bah different?
How could we support your workforce?
What can I do next?

19. Organisations can provide all the access
possible, but it still comes down to the
individual
In order for wellness programmes to have impact, individuals first need to be in a
place where they want to make a change
Have a poor diet
Lack exercise
Drink too much alcohol
Are smokers
67% have no motivation to change their eating habits
60% have no intention of stopping any time soon
33% do not want to exercise more
93% have no motivation to change their drinking habits
Results from the 2014 Britain’s Healthiest Company Report8 showed that of those survey
respondents who…

20. Sustaining healthy habits over the long term is
the biggest barrier to achieving wellbeing
When will I
fit it in?
Where do I
begin?
How can I
prioritise it?
How do I
maintain it?
Even when a busy individual makes a decision to change their lifestyle, they are
still faced with these fundamental blocks …

21. We combine the convenience of online training
with personalised behaviour change coaching
Pre-contemplation
Stage 1
Maintenance
Stage 5
Action
Stage 4
Preparation
Stage 3
Contemplation
Stage 2
Our content publishing platform Optimal publishes articles aimed at increasing
awareness and motivating contemplation and preparation
We help improve knowledge and awareness through expert practitioner-led
online training on demand, which builds efficacy and encourages action
We help embed this new knowledge into practice so that it will be
maintained over time by offering change support
coaching, either delivered in
a group setting or one-to-one
We also support evolution of practice
with community activity and
diverse course content

22. Why should you be thinking about the wellbeing of your
workforce?
What is mer-ka-bah?
How is mer-ka-bah different?
How could we support your workforce?
What can I do next?

23. We support your team on their change journey
to better health through a 5-step programme
1
2
3
4
5
Cross-company
needs
assessment
survey
Facilitated goal
setting and
implementation
strategy
workshop
Online resource
library (courses,
workshops,
webinars,
forum
discussions)
Wellness days
Group or
individual
change support
coaching

24. Fundamental to our programme are the
following guiding principles
We have a needs-based approach
Everyone has different and so rather than a turnkey
solution we providing various pathways to meet
individual needs and preferences on the journey to
improved health.
We support staff within their current context and
circumstance
We support your employees in supporting themselves
physically, mentally and socially, regardless of the
social structure and system within which they operate.

25. Step 1
1
2
3
4
5
Cross-company needs
assessment survey

26. The short online needs assessment survey is
designed as a tool for employers and
employees
Employees
Employers
Increasing awareness that health encompasses physical,
mental and social wellbeing and helping them think, ‘OK,
that’s what I’m doing well or that’s where I can improve’
The aggregate results can be very useful in showing
current level of organisational health across physical,
mental and social dimensions and appetite for change

27. Step 2
1
2
3
4
5
Facilitated goal setting and
implementation strategy workshop

28. At the kick-start workshop, employees establish
their vision and start shaping their individual
roadmaps
Using the organisation needs assessment survey as a basis, the half-day “kick-
start” workshop for up to 25 participants will guide them through a process in
which they:
Establish a vision
Identify blocks
Create a plan
Select activities
Create a meaningful and achievable vision and
Destination Postcard
Define the courses and other activities that will support
them on their journey
Become aware of the blocks that stop them achieving
their health and wellness visions
Create an achievable implementation plan with target
dates
Decide the form of support structure that best works for
them (accountability buddy, e-mail reminders…)
Define support structure

29. Your kick-start workshop facilitators
Health psychologist and
life coach - Emily Hodge
Founder of mer-ka-bah
– Natalie Uhlarz
Emily has worked across the NHS, Local authority, private
and charity sectors in the following areas:
• Leading innovative health and wellbeing projects
• Digital product development for health
• Community engagement programmes
• Impact measurement
• Coaching and therapy for stressful life events
Natalie has worked in medical communications and
publishing sectors, developing educational and
communication programmes – most recently as a product
director for a leading medical communications agency.
Her expertise include:
• Strategic development of compelling communications
• Mentorship and team training
• Workshop planning and facilitation

30. Step 3
1
2
3
4
5
Online resource library
(courses, wellness workshops,
webinars, forum discussions)

31. Employees would gain access to a self-directed
online toolbox of resources to build competency
to achieve their vision
Archives
A closed discussion board where employees can
post questions, share experiences and interact with
the trainers
A library of recorded webinars and training events
Monthly webinars and short burst challenges
Archives
Forums
Events

32. Online training across physical, mental and
social dimensions delivered by expert trainers
An example of a course in physical designed to alleviate tension that could lead to
back and neck pain

33. Tailored to address causes of absenteeism and
your unique organisational needs
If we don’t already have it, we work with you to develop video and wellness
workshop content to match your organisational needs
I’d like to
exercise but
hate gyms!
I’d like to eat
more
healthily
I hate
speaking to a
group
I am always
too rushed
Nutrition coach Leonie
Wright’s Fundamentals of
Healthy Living course
Alexandra Merisoiu’s
Earthing & Natural
Movement programme
Maurice Parry’s How to
communicate
persuasively programme
Tom Evans’ Meditation to
create more hours in
your day course

34. Step 4
1
2
3
4
5
Wellness
days

35. We can facilitate a once-off full-day programme
or a series of lunch-time talks
Combine the kick-off workshop with a half
day programme to motivate staff so they buy
in to the content on offer
Arrange a full-day programme of your
preferred speakers combining massage, lectures,
lunch by Leonie and interactive exercises
Schedule a monthly or bi-monthly lunch and
learn with your preferred speakers

36. Step 5
1
2
3
4
5
Group or individual
change support
coaching

37. Group Individual
Our health psychologist and coach-designed
health change coaching is delivered to suit
individual preferences
• 6 x 1-hour weekly
group webinar
• Worksheets
• Access to a private
forum for group
discussions
• Access to video
tutorials
• Group support
mechanisms
Personalised approach to
removing blocks and
accessing long-term health
change
• 6 x 1-hour weekly 1-
2-1 skype with
personal change
coach, Emily Hodge
• Worksheets
• Access to video
tutorials
Coach:
Emily Hodge

38. Why should you be thinking about the wellbeing of your
workforce?
What is mer-ka-bah?
How is mer-ka-bah different?
How could we support your workforce?
What can I do next?

39. We can either offer our full 5-step programme
or elements to support your existing wellness
initiatives
1
2
3
4
5
Cross-company
needs
assessment
survey
Facilitated goal
setting and
implementation
strategy
workshop
Online resource
library (courses,
workshops,
webinars,
forum
discussions)
Wellness days
Group or
individual
change support
coaching
✔
✔
✔
Using our needs assessment approach, we can identify
the areas your programme focuses on, and supply a
well-stocked team of corporate
health specialists for
additional support

40. Get in touch to discuss how we can work together:
Natalie Uhlarz
Tel: 077 998 21380
Email: natalie@mer-ka-bah.com
www.mer-ka-bah.com
Thank you

41. References
1. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lmac/sickness-absence-in-the-labour-market/2014/sty-sickness-
absence.html
2. http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2013/07/15/rising-sick-bill-costs-uk-
business-163-29bn-a-year.aspx
3. http://www.cipd.co.uk/binaries/absence-management_2013.pdf
4. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings/2013-provisional-results/stb-
ashe-statistical-bulletin-2013.html
5. http://www.meridianbs.co.uk/presenteeism-roundtable
6. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lmac/sickness-absence-in-the-labour-market/2014/sty-sickness-
absence.html
7. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Harvard_HE_GlobalEconomicBurdenNonCommunicableDiseases_
2011.pdf
8. http://cer/europe/uk/en/newsroom/workforce_costs.html
9. http://www.uk.mercer.com/newsroom/workforce_costs.html
10. http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2013/07/15/rising-sick-bill-costs-uk-
business-163-29bn-a-year.aspx
11. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/business/britains-healthiest-company/11400151/mental-health-
at-work.html
12. PWC research