Meyer Turku workers use weekly volleyball to improve health and build ties

Workers at Meyer Turku are keeping active through weekly volleyball sessions, as Southwest Finland launches a campaign to improve men’s health habits, Yle reports. A national survey found that men in the region have the country’s poorest lifestyle habits.

The volleyball group meets on Friday evenings at the gym of Hepokulta School in Turku. Jyrki Seilo, a Meyer Turku employee, has organised the sessions for about seven years. The employer supports staff sports and cultural clubs, which are led by employees.

The sessions are open to everyone, regardless of skill level. Seilo says the group gives new employees a chance to meet colleagues, while workplace titles do not matter on the court. Meyer Turku’s chief occupational health physician, Heikki Kaukavuori, says the clubs help new employees become part of the workplace community.

Southwest Finland’s wellbeing services county has launched the Mies kuntoon campaign to encourage better habits among working-age men. Its focus includes nutrition, exercise, sleep and avoiding intoxicants.

Regular exercise can help people manage stress and recover from work, says Jaana Laitinen, a research professor at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. She says good health and alertness can also support workplace safety by reducing poor working postures and human errors.

For Seilo, volleyball offers a break from work and everyday life, as well as a chance to talk with colleagues he may not see during the workday at the large shipyard.