At a time when New Zealanders are increasingly aware of their health and fitness, the Sovereign Tri Series kicks off next month and the ‘CEO Challenge’ returns for its second year, once again offering a $25,000 initiative to encourage businesses to get their workforce active, engaged and motivated about their health and wellbeing.
The Sovereign Tri Series CEO Challenge is all about inspiring as many staff as possible to take part in a triathlon or duathlon to help shape healthier, happier and more motivated employees – which naturally will be beneficial to any business.
Every business taking part in the CEO Challenge can expect to see an increase in health and wellbeing of employees, increase productivity, boost staff morale and also introduce a fun, social element to the workplace.
There are seven Sovereign Tri Series events around the country this summer – they are the Duo Auckland at Villa Maria on November 15, the Tri Tinman in Mount Maunganui (November 29), Tri Wanaka (January 9), Duo Christchurch (January 16), Tri Wellington (January 30), Tri Kinloch (February 14)and Tri Takapuna (February 28).
If businesses have staff in branches elsewhere around the country, they can participate too – regardless of ability as there are various distances to suit all people. The objective is not about winning or indeed going fast, it is to get staff and colleagues together to take part in this Company Challenge.
There’s an added initiative too!
The company with the highest ratio of staff participation across any of the seven Sovereign Tri Series events will receive $25,000 to donate to their chosen charity.
In its inaugural year last summer, the staff of the Whakatane District Council won the CEO Challenge, with an incredible 85% of staff taking part. Their hard work and dedication to the Tri Series was rewarded when Whakatane District Council CEO Marty Grenfell was able to hand over a cheque worth $25,000 to the Kirsty Lang Family Trust.
 The Whakatane District Council turned out in force at the 2014 Sovereign Tinman at Mount Maunganui(Photo: Tri NZ; click to enlarge) |
Grenfell says “the Sovereign Tri Series CEO Challenge was an immensely positive and unifying experience for the Whakatane District Council. It brought people together from every work group, from our governance team, plus family members and people from partner organisations. The benefits were significant and for many of us, they have been life changing. We’re fitter and healthier, we’re a more cohesive team; and we’ve challenged and extended our boundaries.
“Just to discover what we were capable of achieving on a personal and corporate level was a significant reward. To also win the inaugural Sovereign CEO Challenge was a huge thrill and the fact that we were able to donate the $25,000 prize to a charity that is very close to all of our hearts only heightened the sense of achievement.
“We’ve set a performance standard that will be very difficult to repeat, but we’ll be giving it our best shot in the 2015/16 Tri Series events. And we’d relish some competition – so here’s a challenge for businesses and organisations around New Zealand: Get involved and take us on in the Sovereign Tri Series CEO Challenge!”
Sovereign CEO Symon Brewis-Weston says the Whakatane District Council were outstanding performers and deserving winners of the 2014/15 CEO Challenge and he is looking forward to seeing them and other businesses around New Zealand get on board this year.
“Created to motivate Kiwis to get active and participate in Tri Series events across the country, the Sovereign CEO Challenge is a fantastic initiative that builds team morale, helps staff get fit and healthy and gives back to the community.
“The Whakatane District Council are an excellent example of an organisation that committed as a team to improve their health and fitness by participating in the Sovereign CEO Challenge. It can be difficult to find the time within our busy lifestyles to include exercise as part of a daily routine, however through a supportive team culture, backed by strong leadership, the Council demonstrated just how significant the rewards can be for staff and ultimately the winners chosen charity of choice.”
So go on! Convince your boss to step up and take part in the CEO Challenge – it’s a great opportunity to create team camaraderie and get people active and involved in something they may have never done before.
Most importantly, it’s all about participation and having fun.
