Exercise in the workplace – A New Year’s resolution
You’re half way through January and you’ve already abandoned all of your New Year’s resolutions in favour of the familiar. You’ve cancelled your new language classes by now, and given up your cooking crusade for this year.
There is one area left to consider; your health and well-being.
Can your employer help?
There has been a rise in recent years in the number of organisations who are leading the way in terms of promoting a healthy lifestyle for their staff, and taking steps to actively encourage it. Whether it be through the addition of a fitness centre or gym facility, encouraging healthy eating in the office or providing fitness trackers, bike racks and even fitness instructors to kick-start a fitness regime in their employees.
Below, we’ve identified some of the main benefits to you, and your organisation as a whole.
REDUCED HEALTHCARE COSTS
People who live a healthy life are less likely to get sick or injured. ‘Fit’ employees are more resistant to the general bugs that go around the office. Not only does that mean your health care and prescription costs are lower, but you are less likely to require time off work. To someone who does not get paid for a sick day, that can make a big difference in income over the course of a year.
IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY
You’ll be more productive. People who look after their physical well-being are more alert, awake and motivated to achieve. They are better able to focus on tasks, as exercise and eating healthy can increase energy and allow you to be able to sustain a higher level of productivity throughout the day.
BUILDS TEAM SPIRIT
Meeting outside of a work environment to participate in health and fitness is a great way to get to know your colleagues better. A wellness programme engages all members of an organisation, so it will give you the chance to integrate with people from different departments, who you may not get the opportunity to meet with under the regular confines of the office environment. Engaging in activities and sports such as football or running will also build a team mentality and even strengthen professional relationships within your organisation.
WEIGHT LOSS
It’s a welcomed side effect of exercising that the majority of people lose weight. Sometimes, companies may offer financial incentives to employees to encourage them to lose weight, or assist them in enrolling onto weight loss programmes such as Weight Watchers or Slimming World. Some employers go the extra mile on this front, purchasing fitness trackers for their team to help them to remain motivated and focused.
CONFIDENCE
As a result of losing weight, and also a consequence of the boundless energy you now have; your confidence will improve. Confident employees are happier employees. You’ve proven to yourself that you can achieve and this can reflect in your approach to the professional environment. In addition, if you’re confident, others will have confidence in you. This in turn will make you a great colleague to have around.
LESS STRESSED
Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and emotional tension that can arise from working in a fast-paced environment. Those who exercise on a regular basis are generally less stressed, less quick to fly off the handle, and find it easier to remain composed in stressful situations. 30 minutes of moderate exercise can be enough to help you feel more relaxed and better equipped to deal with high-pressure situations.
EXERCISE & HEALTHY HABITS
Following your fitness pursuits also has the added benefit of encouraging you to make healthier choices regarding your diet and nutrition. If your colleagues are similarly embarking on their own healthier lifestyle choices, they will be in a comparable mind-set. In an environment where these positive choices are reinforced, it’s a lot easier to avoid those decisions that are less beneficial to your health. Overall, this will make your workplace a healthier and happier place to be.
The number one all-encompassing reason that incorporating fitness and exercise into your workplace is of benefit, is the improvement of overall physical heath to yourself, and your colleagues. We all know the benefit of regular exercise, and by following the recommended guideline of 30 minutes, five days a week (as recommended by the UK’s National Health Service) there are many facets of life that can be impacted, and actively improved.
By incorporating healthy choices into your day-to-day working life, exercise and balanced nutrition will no longer feel like a chore. As well as this, the benefits to your employer difficult to ignore.
At JPS Selection, we offer our employees an on-site gym as well as many other benefits to keep health and wellbeing as a key focus of our business, check out our offices here.
