Why You Should Encourage Fitness in the Workplace

One of the best assets employers have in their business are their employees. They are the key players in the business and thus, most employers strive to create a happy and healthy environment for their employees to keep performing at maximum potential. 

Strategies like implementing rewards and recognition systems, providing training opportunities and a lot more are just some of the numerous efforts employers do to keep their employees motivated. On one hand, some employers never fail to look at their employee’s health, specifically their fitness and wellness, as this is vital for ensuring maximum productivity from their employees. 

Why are Workplace Fitness and Wellness programs important?

A recent data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Americans worked an average of 34.4 hours per week. And adding these work time numbers to today’s reality where our culture has become more dependent on electronics for entertainment, clearly there is no question as to why most Americans are overweight. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that nearly 60 percent of employees do not even get enough exercise. 

As a result, employees begin to feel sick and take extended leave of absences. They might also require a lot of surgeries, time for recovery and worse, quitting the job due to health reasons. Thus, reducing the companies’ overall productivity. 

In response to this concern, employers start to take initiatives on programs that would help reduce health risks of their employees and even help in enhancing their quality of life which then leads to an enhanced personal effectiveness which in a way, doubles the benefit for the organization. 

Reasons to Consider Fitness in the Workplace

  • Increases Productivity – employees who are healthy and fit are expected to increase their productivity level as they are able to perform with their full potential. A healthy mind gives them the ability to think better and have more performing hours than those who are regularly sick and on leave. 
  • Lowers Healthcare costs – Employers invest a lot for their employee’s benefits especially on their best capital which is their health. For a company to have sickly employees, healthcare costs for the companies which include coverage of medical expenses are higher than those companies with fit and healthier employees. At first, companies might think that enrolling their members to a specific fitness program is costly. But in the long run, they’ll realize that this is actually an efficient move to help promote better health for them. 
  • Creates a Happier Workplace – Healthy employees create a happy environment. Employees who are into fitness are actually said to experience lower stress levels. Scientifically, exercise has its own way of relieving stress and other tensions in life. Thus, creating more focused and positive-minded employees. As a result, this leads to a higher level of productivity.
  • Fosters teamwork – encouraging a circle of employees to be part of one fitness program is actually a good way to promote friendship and teamwork. Employees do not only get to motivate each other to work better for the company but also, a fitness program creates a greater sense of workplace teamwork as they get to help in holding each other accountable. It also gives your employees a better way of coping and releasing inevitable workplace stress. 

Workplace Fitness and Wellness Program Ideas

Looking for ideas to promote fitness and wellness for your employees? Check out this list! 

Provide healthy office snacks

Food is one of the main problems of busy professionals. Most of the time, being overweight comes as a result of eating too many fast food items which are almost available anytime and anywhere. Try to bring in as many healthy office snack options as possible. 

Publish workplace wellness newsletter 

Your employees are already used to receiving company email announcements. But what if they receive some wellness news updates or tips? This would give them something to look forward to, for instance, if you have set the newsletters to come out every other Wednesday. These are actually the type of emails that get your employees excited in opening because this benefits them a lot. 

Organize a sports league

Perhaps, you have some sports enthusiasts in your office or your employees may want to explore new activities that will give them a reboot after all the workplace stress. A sports event will actually create an exciting avenue for your employees to show their competency as well as jump start an active lifestyle for them. 

Gym Discounts

Some gyms offer corporate discounts for your employees. Other offices avail these corporate discounts to motivate their employees even more as well as attract aspiring members of the company to be part of your business with your access to benefiting from a work-life balance program. 

Join Fitness Classes together

There are many fitness classes that you and your employees can benefit from which won’t cost you too much. To name one Dewayne Malone’s 21-Day Transformation Challenge is an online fitness class that you can take with your employees. Enrolling to this as a group will give you access to a three-week meal plan, three-week workout program, an 8-minute challenge, a progress tracker and guidance from one of Houston’s top trainers. As an online program, you get to become more accountable for each other’s efforts and results. This will foster a new kind of support from every member as they share their journey toward fitness. 

Like this article?

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Linkdin
Share on Pinterest
DeWayne Malone

DeWayne Malone

Narural Body Builder, Body Transformation Specialist and an Entrepreneur.

Leave a comment