Physical activity has numerous advantages for both the body and the mind. As a result, an increasing number of employers are incorporating individual and team-based fitness into the workday. Some of the benefits include improved ergonomics, better productivity, and overall changes in workplace culture.
Why is physical activity at work important?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people between the ages of 18 and 64 engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week. This can be divided into sessions, such as 30 minutes per day for five days a week.
With work taking up a substantial percentage of our waking time and home and family obligations eating up the majority of what is left, it’s simple to see why many of us fail to fulfill our weekly quota. One approach is for employers to prioritize physical activity so that everyone has the opportunity to get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day during the work week.
Physical activity provides several health benefits to all workers, regardless of whether physical fitness is required for their jobs. Because office workers’ jobs are typically sedentary, this area is sometimes disregarded. Employees and employers are not usually aware of the detrimental long-term health consequences of this situation.
A fit and healthy team, on the other hand, is one of the most valuable assets a company can have. This is why companies must make a greater effort to promote physical activity, particularly team-based exercise, during the workplace.
Physical activity has numerous health benefits
The first and most obvious advantage of physical activity is that it aids in the maintenance of a healthy weight. With obesity now a serious health issue in the vast majority of developed countries, including Australia, this is more critical than ever.
Some of the major ailments that 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day can prevent are as follows:
Heart disease
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Stroke
Various types of cancer
Maintaining a healthy weight and obtaining enough cardiovascular exercise are critical in assisting the body’s defense against various health issues.
Exercise can help with mental health difficulties because it causes our body to release endorphins, often known as happy hormones. This can lower tension and anxiety, making us feel more cheerful, energized, and capable of dealing with stressful situations. This has the potential to significantly improve workers’ mental health and well-being. Physical activity has several advantages for your business.
Some benefits of having a fit and healthy workforce are clear, while others are sometimes missed. Healthier workers are less likely to miss work due to illness, lowering the cost of absenteeism for your company. They are also more likely to be motivated and productive at work, to take an active role in developing a positive workplace culture, to contribute and collaborate with coworkers, and to be involved in workplace disputes.
From the standpoint of the organization, providing opportunities for your employees to partake in exercise helps with staff retention because demonstrating that you care about their health makes them feel valued. This increases company loyalty. Such demonstrations of concern for an employee’s health and well-being can also help you attract top talent when it comes to recruitment – people with many job offers on the table are more inclined to choose a firm that can demonstrate it values its employees.
Team-building exercises, in particular, are essential for establishing rapport and common ground among coworkers. This directly translates into improved teamwork and a more cohesive workplace atmosphere.
What you can do to promote physical activity at work
There are several actions you can take to ensure your team meets their daily quota and gets some exercise during the day. These are some examples:
Installing a gym on-site or offering gym membership as part of employee benefits
Walking meetings or team walks during lunch breaks
Encourage employees to take a break from work for lunch.
Set up printers and other often used office supplies away from workstations to encourage people to get up and move about.
Information on local team sports and workout classes