Workplace health: Working Well East Midlands
Physical activity
The
health benefits of regular physical exercise are well established:
- A longer and better quality of life
- Reduced risk of a variety of diseases and conditions
- A range of psychological and emotional benefits
For the organisation increased levels of physical activity among the workforce can have a positive effect on:
- Absenteeism and returning to work
- Stress management and mental health
- Weight management and musculo-skeletal disorders
Employers should promote active lifestyles for their workforce and should:
- Encourage their employees to walk or cycle to work
- Encourage employees to take the stairs rather than the lift by making stairwells more attractive and improving signage
- Promote the benefits of physical activity by providing relevant information
- Try and negotiate discounted membership of gyms fro staff and supporting activity or sports in and outside the workplace
Employees should make an effort to build activity into the working day by:
- Taking the stair instead of the lift
- Walking across the office to speak to rather than e-mailing close colleagues
- Taking 30 minutes’ worth of exercise during lunchtime, even if it is only walking around the block
- Measuring activity levels with a pedometer
- Using ‘active transport’ (walking or cycling) wherever possible
Resources
|
> |
The Department for Transport has resource materials to promote walking and cycling. |
|
> |
Emphasis on physical activity is the East Midlands-wide public health network supporting people working in the physical activity and health field. |
|
> |
The British Heart Foundation website has a section devoted to being active at work. |
|
> |
Sport England’s Everyday Sport website has a host of ideas on building regular exercise into the day. |
|
> |
Another Sport England website, Active Places, lets you search for sports and fitness facilities anywhere in England. |