Moving for mental health: Centrica on The Road to Paris

Workplaces are recognising the importance of mental health more than ever before and great progress is being made. But there’s more work to be done – especially around the link between physical and mental wellbeing.

We’ve been working to address this. One way we’re doing that is by launching The Road to Paris initiative, which celebrates British Gas’ recent partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB, to get teams across the business moving for their mental health.

Let’s talk about it 

61% of UK employees who left a job in the past year, or plan to leave, cited poor mental health as a factor. 

It’s clear that people continue to need support.

Support is essential - but with many living with long-term health conditions that impact them every day, it also has to be inclusive. 

That’s why we’ve been ramping up our Health and Wellbeing strategy over the past few years – helping to ensure everyone is supported, energised and able to bring their whole selves to work.

As part of our ongoing support package, we also recognise how physical health impacts mental health.

Moving for mental health

You can’t talk about mental health, without talking about physical health.

45% say that they lack time to exercise due to work, and 39% say they want their workplace to do more in supporting them to get active. 

Exercise is a huge part of improving mental wellbeing – with even a short 10 minutes brisk walk known to boost mental alertness, energy and mood.

Whether it’s helping bring down stress levels or creating moments of connection between colleagues, there are clear benefits of encouraging teams to get more active.

That’s where #RoadtoParis comes in. 

Centrica on the #RoadtoParis 

In celebration of this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, we’re asking our colleagues to channel their inner athlete.

So, launching with the Road to Paris, we’re providing access to the GoJoe app – a health and fitness platform for everyone at Centrica, ahead of the 2024 Summer Games.

The Road to Paris, hosted by Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds, utilises British Gas’ partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB to energise and unite colleagues. In short, it’s a virtual activity challenge, where teams of up to 20 colleagues can support each to participate in 45+ sports and activities. The rules are simple – the team with the most points will be crowned winner.

But it’s not just about who tops the leaderboards. It’s all about teamwork and helping each to get active. A perfect opportunity to exercise, connect with each other and have fun.

Activities for all 

We know that not everyone can exercise - which is why The Road to Paris isn’t a step challenge. All activities are weighted to level the playing field, based on either the duration or distance of the activity. From tracking wheelchair distance to time spent on the tennis court, the Road to Paris is for everyone.

Holistic support 

GoJoe isn’t just for the Olympics.

The app will be available over the next few months, providing a one-stop-shop to track activity, share pictures with their team, join challenges and access expert-led guides. As well as promoting physical activity, it’s a great way to build community which, for many, is key to fostering good mental health.

Support at Centrica doesn’t stop at GoJoe – our Health and Wellbeing tools provide resources for colleagues to support their mental and physical health. 

The mental and physical health of our colleagues continues to be a priority – but there’s more work to be done. We’ll keep developing our tools and resources to make them the best they can be, providing support for every single one of our colleagues.

To all the teams participating in #RoadtoParis - good luck!