April 07 is Health World Day. During this time, several different programs are organized to draw attention to the importance of health preservation and prevention. In Hungary, an increasing number of business leaders consider the protection of health of their employees as top priority. On the occasion of Health World Day, we talked to Szabolcs Botond, CEO of Visual Europe Group, who emphasized the importance of preserving the health of employees.
The Visual Europe Group recently purchased two defibrillator devices, what motivated you?
Yes, we installed ZOLL AED Plus semi-automatic defibrillator device, both of our sites, last month. Our motivation is that we have almost 170 colleagues for whom we feel responsible. The majority of them work at large events, where even 10,000 people can show up. We believe it is important that they feel safe in any life situation, whether at work or in their private lives and that they do not hesitate to help their loved ones or colleagues if necessary. It may be a cliché, but professional medical assistance is not always immediately available. The average response time of emergency medical services in Hungary is 10-15 minutes, so the success of basic reanimation on the spot may depend on the attitude and preparedness of the people present. In such cases, it is crucial that the person at the spot should start the reanimation as soon as possible, without delay or hesitation. Equipping our colleagues with this knowledge can truly be lifesaving.
So it is not just about placing equipment?
Not at all. The arrival of the defibrillators provided a good opportunity for all of our colleagues to complete a comprehensive first aid training course at our own training center. In this way, everyone learned and practiced the use of semi-automatic defibrillators, the correct reanimation techniques, and refreshed their knowledge on how to treat possible injuries.
What were the colleagues’ feedback on the training course?
The trainings went well and we received a lot of feedback that the colleagues did not realize that the two-minute chest compression could be such a strenuous and stressful task. We must remember that it can take up to 10-15 minutes for the ambulance to arrive! Several colleagues mentioned that they felt even more secure now that they knew exactly what to do in such situation. They also feel more secure knowing that their colleagues are also prepared. These were the most common reactions, along with the hope that only the dust must be removed from the devices during the annual maintenance.
Do you plan similar activities in the future? What other ways do you use to promote healthy lifestyle?
Of course, we plan to train the new colleagues and periodically refresh the knowledge of our staff. We do not currently plan a similar action in the form of separate training, but we have ongoing projects and we are open to the ideas of our colleagues. Nevertheless, we have always considered important to engage in sports and physical activity as part of our team-building activities. Our Fruit-Day is popular at both locations, where we obviously also draw attention to the importance of vitamin intake.
What aspects do they take into account in the design of workstations?
We place great emphasis on preventing workplace accidents. Ensuring the safety of the work environment from a health and safety perspective, considering ergonomic factors, and providing appropriate training for employees are important aspects. Additionally, due to this line of work, the majority of our employees work offsite, therefore providing functional, decorative workwear with adequate protective capabilities is of utmost importance for our colleagues.
You and your colleagues work in a fast-paced, constantly evolving industry. How does this affect the health of your colleagues?
Indeed, this is a high-pressure and constantly evolving industry, so in addition to physical well-being, stress management is also important, since it can cause numerous health problems in the long run. We strive to create pleasant working conditions, such as the opportunity to find some personal time-off in one of our meeting rooms or at the new rooftop relaxation area. Additionally, this is a dog-friendly workplace, and we receive many positive feedbacks for the presence of our four-legged colleagues.
