Kaiser Permanente CIO Phil Fasano eliminated 1,500 excess pounds from his IT staff, but not by laying anybody off. Instead, he presented the IT pros--a population infamous for a sedentary lifestyle--with a seven-week challenge to lose weight and get in shape, reports Computerworld's Stacy Collett.

Fasano was personally involved in the challenge, posting his own weight loss goal and incremental progress weekly on Kaiser Permanente's internal social networking site. The "5x500 CIO Challenge" drew the participation of 400 employees and brought benefits that transcended a trimmer workforce. It gave Fasano greater opportunity to communicate directly with employees in new ways.

"It clearly became an opportunity for us to engage in something in common regardless of place in the IT organization," Fasano said. "It also created a community of interest where we had a kinship and a partnership."

The emphasis on health and fitness precipitated modifications in lifestyle throughout the IT department, and the collective effort has motivated employees to sustain their fitter physiques. Computer specialist Frederick Curiel dropped approximately 50 pounds by working out daily and changing his diet. 

"At my desk, I have fruit, vegetables and nuts. I stopped going out to lunch and started eating what I brought in," Curiel said. "Now I have co-workers who talk about health and fitness just as office chat."

For more:
- see Stacy Collett's article at Computerworld

Related Articles:
Do IT workers sit on their rear ends too much?
Ways to motivate IT staff without using cash
The real return on investments in people