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Business
Shifting into healthy gear
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BIG NEWS ABOUT THE HUSKYPRO CARDLOCK NETWORK
Scotlynn’s president and CEO, Scott Biddle said he started the wellness program to boost employee morale and productivity.
Biddle said he hired a chef due to the company’s demographic and its remote location.
“The people we hired were generally younger people in the logistics business,” he explained. “They don’t think about what they are going to eat the night before. Like me, they think about what they’re going to eat 15 minutes before they need to eat. So, they’re wasting 15 to 30 minutes before they eat, then they drive and get the food... that’s usually garbage food, that they pick up and bring back to eat at their desk. Then at 2 o’clock they’re laying on their desk because it’s garbage food. So, I found it very beneficial just to imple- ment the healthy food. Plus, we’re a 10- to 15-min- ute drive away from any fast food places. Hiring a chef just felt like the right thing to do.”
Murdoch works hard to ensure that he doesn’t repeat too many meals and injects a lot of color into the staff’s diet.
“We always like to switch the meals up and use a lot of local farmers and butchers for our meat and eggs,” he said. “We like to stay with local ven- dors and buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. So right now, we’re eating a lot of aspar- agus and corn.”
Murdoch also puts a large emphasis on por- tion control.
“If everybody that worked formefeltasgoodasI did, you know, the things we could accomplish could be endless.”
– Scott Biddle, Scotlynn Group
“When we first started the program, we ran out of chicken,” he said. “And I had it all portioned out per person, four ounces. So, after that, I figured that I was going to have to teach portion control. So now we do an example plate each day of what your portion should look like.”
A fan favorite of the office is Taco Tuesday. And though it seems like a high-calorie lunch option, Murdoch says he makes it nutritious by offering healthy alternative to put in the tacos like lean ground beef, black beans, avocado, and tons of fresh vegetables.
“It’s definitely a crowd pleaser,” Murdoch said. “Plus, people save money every week on groceries,
which I’m sure they appreciate. I know packing a lunch at home isn’t something most people look forward to. So, with this program, it makes it eas- ier for staff to focus on other things.”
The benefits Biddle has seen are endless, he said. Staff are looking and feeling better and he has seen it boost production for the 250-truck operation.
16 Truck News • June 2017
“The culture within the office, the realm, everything is just better,” he said. “People feel a lot better. We strive to be the best in the industry and every day we look at ways to improve morale in the company and this has definitely helped.”
Success stories aren’t hard to come by in the office, as many have lost a significant amount of weight and have reached their fitness goals.
One example is the company’s chief financial officer, who suffered a heart attack a few years back. Through the program, he dropped close to 40 pounds. Now, according to Biddle, his CFO runs at least two miles every morning. Another staff member weighed 165 lbs and wanted to bulk up and gain more muscle. He’s now up to 190 lbs thanks to the program. Another staff member, in the payroll department and in her 60s, went from deadlifting 45 lbs in the gym to deadlift- ing 150 lbs.
“On the whole, everyone who participates in the program is doing amazing,” Biddle said. “We sit at our desks all day, so to get up and get moving and eatsomethinghealthyeverydayisagoodthing.”TN