Skanska - Malmö

The importance of health and well-being is more significant than ever. A lot more companies have started to see the connection between health and being an attractive employer. Opportunities for training in the workplace are at the top of the list when employees are surveyed about what they value most. This was also the case at Skanska in Malmö. Employees wanted a gym as a primary benefit at the workplace, and Skanska took action to create a versatile training space for their team.

"We moved into our office in Hyllie in 2014, and after a while, the staff requested a gym. In 2016 it became a reality. We identified a potential space in an old archive in the basement", says Jasmina Ranheimer, office manager at Skanska.

In 2016 the planning for the 140 sqm gym began, and the archive was cleared out. Having training easily accessible was important for the staff. Employees were involved in clearing out the archive and enthusiastic about the possibility that they would train in there one day.

"I had contact with different suppliers, but I immediately got hooked on Eleiko's sketch as it was exactly what I had imagined. We got help with planning the space to make the most of it with the equipment we needed. I have trained CrossFit and took inspiration from that; for example, we wanted to have a rig in the gym", says Jasmina.

It has been inspiring to collaborate with Skanska on this project. We hope it will give other companies insight into how they can create value for their employees," says Henrik Dagård, Key Account Manager, Eleiko.

In 2017, the gym was completed, it was used a lot, and the receptionist at Skanska held joint workouts three times a week. When the pandemic hit, the gym had to close. The primary question from the staff was when the gym would reopen again and indicated how much the employees value this amenity.

"Being able to train next door to the workplace is what many employees value in companies today. A report from one of the largest listed real estate companies in Sweden (2021) shows that 43% of all employees want access to a gym on the company's premises to support their well-being and performance", says P-O Osbeck, Corporate & Residential, Eleiko.