Employee Wellness Newsletter : Company Wellness Programs: Does your workplace foster physical exercise?

How does physical exercise fit into a full-time employee’s full schedule? Often, it doesn’t.

One possible solution to this challenge is to make physical activity a part of the work day. Clearly, being active at work is constructive for staff members. But employers also advance from having fit, energetic and healthy staff members who are more constructive.

The challenges

Your job takes up a lot of your time. In addition to the hours you invest actually working, there is the time necessitated to get to and from work and take lunch and rest breaks during the work day. In the end, there are a limited number of hours left over for the rest of your life. This work life imbalance is especially true for Alberta, where statistics show that we work exceptionally difficult.

Many jobs today are sedentary, and numerous Americans drive to work. The pressures of work may also cause us to eat lunch at our desks and skip breaks. Then, after work or on the weekends we juggle household chores, family responsibilities and social engagements.

Workplace Wellness Programs: Get started on a workplace physical activity program

Upper Management plays a key role in creating a culture that promotes health. The leaders at your workplace impact the various policies and the informal or formal practices, and these policies and practices affect your attitude towards healthy active living.

Begin by talking to your boss about the advantages of a healthy active workplace. The best way to ensure the success of a employer physical activity program is to have the management on side and cheering you on.

Ask your higher-ups to consider taking these actions:

• Send a memo or message about the importance of health and healthy living that encourages employee to take an active break each day.
• Provide for flexible work hours that help employee to be more physically active. By way of example, they might need to take a longer lunch break to attend exercise class, making up the time by coming to work early or remaining late.
• Provide a meeting room or other suitable office space for noon-hour yoga or workout classes, and hire a teacher to lead them, or use videos.

If your boss agrees to support a workplace exercise program, do not forget to say thanks.

You don’t need an onsite fitness center

Only very large companies can afford onsite fitness facilities such as exercise equipment or squash courts. Still, most employers can take other affordable steps to support workers who wish to become more active.

For example:

• Arrange for discounted fees for staff members at a health club, recreation center or YMCA facility.
• Install showers and a place to hang a towel. (Make sure the showers are cleaned regularly and that women who use them will feel secure.)
• Install bike racks or a locked enclosure that is safe, conveniently located and well lighted.
• Have walking gatherings and set up lunch-hour walking groups
• Make employees aware of safe and pleasant walking routes near the workplace, as well as nearby locations that offer fitness programs (such as walking, swimming, running, yoga, stretching).
• Find a certified instructor to instruct employee about health, fitness and how to become more active.

Any size and type of workplace is able to support staff members who wish to be physically active. It’s highly desirable to get management on side. Even if your boss isn’t supportive, you have the potential to still discover ways to get moving more. Set up activities for groups and individuals, and bolster your co-staff members to join in.