First Move: How Proactive Wellness has Delivered Safer, Stronger Workplaces
Many organisations still approach injury prevention reactively – responding to issues after they arise.
The Birth of First Move
Alison Richmond and her company Provention are the team behind First Move – a wellness-led training initiative designed to make healthy movement second nature.
Its goal? To equip individuals with the knowledge and physical habits to move better, feel better, and live better – both on and off the job.
Rather than positioning it as a traditional injury prevention programme, First Move focuses on restoring natural movement patterns, increasing physical awareness, and building physical intelligence. The results have been powerful.
The programme has helped both Higgins and Fletcher Building take a different approach. By prioritising physical well-being before injury strikes, they’ve seen significant, measurable outcomes – for both people and productivity.
.The Outcomes Tell the Story
In the regions where First Move was implemented:
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- Zero manual handling injuries were reported – a direct result of physically capable individuals moving more intelligently and efficiently in their environments
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- A noticeable drop in uptake of Higgins’ pain and discomfort support services – reflecting not only fewer musculoskeletal complaints but a workforce feeling noticeably better in their day-to-day roles.
Provention also captured individual well-being changes via pre- and post-programme surveys. Early findings are revealing:
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- 82% of participants reported reduced pain and discomfort
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- 75% experienced better sleep quality, helping reduce fatigue-related risks at work
These findings confirm what many suspect: when people feel good, they work better.
Why AIM is Sharing This
At AIM, we believe in the power of proactive, people-first thinking. We’ve seen similar results in our work with Northland businesses – where tailored training and workplace assessments help prevent injuries before they occur.
This case study is a great example of how shifting the mindset from injury prevention to wellness promotion can reshape workplace outcomes. By investing in the physical capability, comfort, and resilience of individuals, organisations can achieve safer workplaces, improved productivity, and reduced injury-related costs – by backing their workers.
How Can AIM Help Your Team?
If your health and safety efforts are mostly reactive, now is the time to shift gears.
Talk to us about how you can change to a wellness-led approach – whether that’s Workstation Assessments, Manual Handling Training, or a new Early Intervention programme – Aim can support your team’s health, capability, and performance.
👉 Send us a message, check out our link to the First Move Manual Handling training page or explore proactive solutions for your workforce with one of our Wellbeing Workshops.
