Workforce steps out to street the field in health challenge
20 December 2023
The Tahmoor Coking Coal operation has shown its commitment to health and well being with a remarkable showing in the 2023 GFG Alliance Global Health Challenge.
With just 300 employees, the SIMEC Mining operation had 80 staff members (16 teams of five) participate in the Be GFG Safe health initiative that challenges individuals and teams to rack up as many exercise steps as possible over a six-week period.
Not only did Tahmoor Coking Coal have nearly a third of its workforce take part in the health challenge it had three of its teams finish in the Top 10 of the competition that involved more than 200 teams from around the world in the GFG Alliance global operation.
The Tahmoor Bench Warmers finished first in Division One with an amazing 7,940,809 steps, more than one million clear of the second placed Terry’s Tigers, also from Tahmoor, with 6,776,770 steps while the Tahmoor Treadmills finished tenth with 5,712,424 steps,
We realised that if we could succeed as a team in this challenge we can improve even more as a team in the workplace too.”
Bench Warmers team member Josh Reid
The Bench Warmers team, made up of Tahmoor Coking Coal technical service officers, was entering the GFG Alliance health initiative for the second year and attacked it with a mix of determination, enthusiasm, teamwork and comradery.
For James at Tahmoor, the overriding driver was to increase his own personal fitness after a health scare. He soon had the backing of the team as they followed their “sergeant” into the fitness and wellbeing battle with gusto to lead the competition from start to finish.
James capped off a tremendous challenge by finishing second in the individual performance tally with an outstanding 2,798,164 steps over the six weeks.
“Generally, in the office, we are pretty competitive so when we saw the call for the Global Health Challenge teams on the intranet, we were all keen to enter again,” James said.
“As a collective, we are now a lot healthier, we have a healthier bond and more motivation for everything in work and life … it has been an inspiring journey.
“Our will to win the challenge was always strong and we constantly checked the live ladder to make sure we stayed in that number one position.”
That determination emerged in many forms, some personal but overwhelming as a collective. Team member Josh Reid explained that the Bench Warmers name was derived from day-to-day actions where the Technical Services Team, are often called up to “come off the bench” to help other areas of the business out when required.
“We like to push ourselves and work together to help other areas, so we were able to use that mentality to succeed as a team in this challenge,” Josh said.
“We do a lot of team walks where we get the steps in, talk about things, solve issues, chat about our lives outside of work and become better in all aspects of ourselves.
“We realised that if we could succeed as a team in this challenge we can improve even more as a team in the workplace too.”
The health focus won’t stop with the end of the challenge either with every member of the team now committed to continuing the walks. They may, however, have some convincing to do on the home front after their amazing commitment during the six weeks of the challenge.
As a collective, we are now a lot healthier, we have a healthier bond and more motivation for everything in work and life … it has been an inspiring journey
Bench Warmers leader James Supel
“My kids got to the point of saying ‘no more walking dad’ when I would suggest another family outing,” James joked.
Josh laughed when he said his kids were soon ‘on to him’ in his efforts to get more steps in.
“I kept suggesting we go to the marina for a drink and they would say ‘no dad, we don’t want a lemonade from the marina’,” he said.
Main image: James Eke, Jarrod Schodde, Josh Reid, James Supel and Hamish Vermeulen.
James shares his health challenge inspiration
While there’s no doubt James “Supey” Supel leads his team with sargeant-like determination, it was his own personal story and determination that helped the Bench Warmers charge down some wellbeing divides and attack some self-imposed health barriers.
James admits he let himself go during the Covid lockdowns. He needed a wake-up call and a vehicle to start his journey back to health and wellbeing
The wake-up call came in the form of a family holiday when going on a hike the 122kg version of James found himself struggling and battling to recover.
“In the spa that night with the family my heart started to feel like it was going to burst through my chest … I realised something wasn’t right,” James said.
“I went to my doctor … he said my blood pressure was through the roof and told me I need to change something now or it wasn’t looking good.
“From that point I knew I had to change something … I wanted to get back to the health and fitness I had before Covid.”
James started on the road to fitness straight after that doctor’s appointment with his health regime of beach training and other activities dovetailing into the GFG health challenge and the entry of their SIMEC Mining Tahmoor Coking Coal team.
Seeing the way Supey went about it, really pushed us all to keep getting out there and amongst it
Bench Warmers team member Josh Reid
“I was always going to go hard to try and lose 10kg but to now finish the health challenge and to have lost 18kg has exceeded my expectations.” James said.
“I have been inspired by other people’s stories from the health challenge so I hope that our story can help others.”
Bench Warmers team-mate, Josh Reid confirmed that their crew was constantly inspired by James during the challenge.
“Supey’s enthusiasm flowed on to all of us,” Josh said.
“He has been so motivated and dedicated, organising walks, inputting the data, checking on the ladder and leading the way with the number of steps he has clocked up.
“Seeing the way Supey went about it, really pushed us all to keep getting out there and amongst it.”
James clocked up 2,798,164 steps to finish second in the individual section of the challenge but modestly maintained it was all about team and overall success.
“Winning the competition was great and I hope we all continue on this healthy journey,” James said.
“I hope we have served as an inspiration during this challenge, for future challenges and just for everyone to maintain health and wellbeing.
“Thanks to those at GFG who organised this challenge and congratulations to everyone that participated.”