In common ideology, the metalworking industry is often associated with a routine and unstimulating work environment. The famous concept of “punching out”: gray and smoky environments and a working method that is not particularly exciting. However, for many years, the sector has innovated and moved further away from this image thanks to virtuous entrepreneurs who have gradually redefined the concept of “factory work.”
At Tor.Met, we have always been committed to combating this stigma by motivating and investing in our team, but never more so than in this phase of complete renovation have we focused our attention in this direction. It is not just about contradicting the models or breaking the rules, but simply expanding the perspective and collecting the results that can be derived from it.
It was precisely from this concept, two years ago, at the start of the project for the new headquarters, that there was a strong desire to do something designed for the staff, for their well-being, and that could also have positive implications for productivity. And that’s how the decision was made to create a company gym available free of charge to employees.
Gym at work: sweat and case studies
The first cases of company gyms can be traced back to American Top Employers who, already in the 1990s, focused part of their internal investments on the corporate business. The results of this decision were not long in coming: employees welcomed the opportunity to train, release stress, stay in shape, and increase their productivity by 20 to 50%.
Bristol University conducted research on 200 employees from three different companies, evaluating work results on days when employees trained versus those when they did not. On training days, concentration increased by 21%, 22% of employees finished their work on time or early, and 25% took fewer breaks. Furthermore, 41% reported feeling much more motivated.
What is even more surprising is that intense or excessively prolonged training is not necessary: 30 minutes a day are sufficient. In this time, the brain, with the help of the release of endorphins, enters a state of relaxation that is directly related to creativity and intuition.
These beneficial effects also extend to the emotional sphere, stabilizing temperament, increasing tolerance to stress, and a sense of calm.
All of this combines with a not insignificant improvement in people’s health. Training also prevents, among other things, risks related to strenuous work for production and neck and back stiffness for office workers. According to Bristol University’s study, companies that have introduced a fitness area have seen absenteeism decrease by 22% and workplace accidents by 17%.
An increasingly accepted and rewarded HR best practice: investing in employee happiness means investing mainly in company revenue.
Tor.Met: the zero-impact gym
We first talked about our gym and athletic track when the construction site at Casale Corte Cerro opened, attracting the press’s attention for this great innovation in the industry.
The installation of the first machines is a work in progress, January 2023 The design of the space and the choice of equipment was overseen by Marco Farina, a personal trainer, bodybuilder, and athletic coach who has been active in the gym world for years. Based on the spaces and the type of work done in the company, he has created a perfect fitness space where employees will have free access throughout the week.
A green note, in compliance with the first great principle of being a sustainable company, is given by the choice to install magnetic machines that do not require the use of electricity but only the physical strength of their users. This makes our gym zero-impact.