On May 3, CeramTec launched the “Top athletes inspiring employees” initiative at its Marktredwitz location together and as a premium partner of the BARMER Ersatzkasse health insurance fund. Successful biathlete Kati Wilhelm visited the company and gave a live talk on the highs and lows of her career, which saw her win Olympic gold three times as well as five World Championship titles. More than 80 employees were eager to listen Kati Wilhelm talk on setting goals and taking decisions, and what sport professionals take on hard training.

Then, 20 employees from the company had the opportunity to take part in an exclusive joint training session together with the top athlete: For an hour the focus was on coordination and stabilization exercise, getting all participants to sweat. The initiative was part of CeramTec’s health management scheme, which includes offering employees numerous activities to partake in. “Health management and workplace safety are primary concerns for CeramTec. The health of our employees and a health-conscious lifestyle are important components of our corporate culture,” says Dr. Hadi Saleh, CEO of CeramTec.

A Healthy Balance to the Daily Work Routine

The company hosts numerous health initiatives supported by the health insurance fund at its Marktredwitz location. These include cancer screenings, carotid artery and skin screenings, body balance tests, non-smoking seminars, courses on healthy nutrition, and yearly flu vaccinations in fall. Additionally, the company supports and promotes company sports activities such as running and walking, mountain biking, or soccer.

“Our engagement in this area started in 2014 with the introduction of the ‘active break’, initiated and coordinated by BARMER. Sports science students from the University of Bayreuth regularly perform light exercises with employees during working times,” says Jürgen Christl, HR Manager at CeramTec Marktredwitz. “These sessions each last 20 minutes and primarily serve to raise people’s awareness of health.” The program was initially on offer in two divisions and has since been expanded step by step. “Our experience shows that cooperative initiatives like those at CeramTec are well received by employees and therefore also produce good results,” says Christian Kick, Health Management Consultant at BARMER Ersatzkasse.

Something for Everyone

CeramTec is also giving the location’s 48 trainees a targeted incentive to get involved with health topics. The “Healthy Start” workshop series gives them the chance to learn about topics such as nutrition, exercise, and the dangers of addiction.