Ideas to Get Your Employees Moving

John Krautzel
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Healthy workers are great for business — they take fewer sick days, cost less to insure and tend to be happier and more confident than their unhealthy counterparts. For desk-bound professionals, staying active can be a challenge. By finding ways to get employees moving, you can improve their lives and boost your bottom line.

Run or Walk for Charity

If your company is socially conscious, use charity to get employees moving. Work with your staff to choose a nonprofit organization in need — be sure to pick one that workers feel strongly about — and sign up as a fundraising team for an upcoming race. Select a distance that's challenging but manageable for people of all fitness levels after six months of training, such as a 10K. In the months leading up to the event, work together as a team to complete a training plan, find sponsors and host fundraising events. Keep workers on track by scheduling at least one group workout session per week. Training together is a powerful way to get employees moving and create a positive, supportive atmosphere. As a side benefit, the collaborative effort toward a worthwhile common goal can increase morale and reduce stress and burnout.

Build an Exercise-Friendly Office

One way to get employees moving is to ensure that your office is friendly to exercisers. Install showers in the men's and women's bathrooms so workers can clean up after running or biking to work. Help busy employees find time to work out by turning a spare room into a small fitness center for use before work, at lunch or after close of business. Alternatively, focus on more low-impact activities by installing sit-stand desks or investing in treadmill or bike desks. If your workers are resistant, encourage more activity during the day by replacing traditional meetings with standing or walking meetings.

Create a Competition

Turn exercise into a good-natured competition, and get employees moving with fitness gamification. Purchase a fitness tracker for each of your workers. Ask each person to download the tracker's app and connect using the app's social tools. Then set goals: 10,000 steps, a set number of active minutes or a specific number of calories burned. Other options include the longest streak of consecutive exercise days or the most pounds lost in a month. Give your workers the freedom to find creative ways to get active during the day. Employees might hold brainstorming sessions while climbing the building stairs or walking on treadmills at a nearby gym, for example. Get the whole group involved by pausing work once an hour to do a five-minute group activity such as jumping jacks, wall sits or a quick stretch.

Finding ways to get employees moving benefits your staff and your company. With creativity and office-appropriate methods, you can build a workforce of happy, healthy workers.


Photo courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments. @Talasyn O - it's so great that you lost a ton of weight. I know how hard that can be. How do employers find out about other health issues unless you tell them? Don't divulge any such information unless asked point - blank. The prospective employer does not need to know that you just lost a lot of weight or anything else - not their business unless it will get in the way of you performing your duties. Many of us have some type of health issue - such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, etc. We don't divulge that, either. I think it's great that employers want to see their employees move more. It's great for everyone and it helps to cut down on the company's healthcare costs. Especially now - with the ACA up in the air. @Patrick J. I don't think that the intent was to say you have to jog for a job but just that the company takes health seriously and they want employees who agree that exercise and a healthy lifestyle is important to them.

  • Talasyn O.
    Talasyn O.

    I am very healthy now but still have health issues to deal with; like most people do but I have found that even though I lost 168 pounds and look healthy once employers find out I still have other health issues that were passed down to me I still get discriminated against. My job performance shouldn't be based on how healthy you think I am; It should be based on my on the job performance, attendance and accountability while working for you. js

  • Fisk F.
    Fisk F.

    Are you sick? Don't take this wrong but I am not going to jog for a job. Fitness is a lifestyle that is chosen for many reasons. You my benefit off my good health but count on it.

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