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Promoting Physical Activity and Wellbeing in the Workplace

  • 1 day ago
  • 7 min read

How employers can encourage employees to be more active.


A group of employees going for a meeting


Physical Activity in the Workplace: Why it matters


While many employees are increasingly adopting sedentary lifestyles, working behind computer screens and sitting at desks for most of the day without having any microbreaks for a quick stretch, others in industries like manufacturing are standing in the same position for long periods of time. Physical activity plays an important role in employees’ health, wellbeing, and overall quality of life. The NHS advises that adults should try to be active every day and aim to achieve at least 150 minutes of physical activity over a week through a variety of activities. Yet it is estimated that around 34% of men and 42% of women don’t reach the activity levels necessary to maintain long-term health and mitigate chronic disease.


A study from the University of Sydney, which analysed data collected from more than 80,000 UK-based adults over a period of eight years, has found that sitting for over 10 hours a day increased cardiovascular disease and over the long-term, standing could increase the risk of circulatory issues, such as varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis. 


Physical inactivity is also a major risk factor for Musculoskeletal (MSK) problems, such as joint stiffness, muscle weakness, spinal issues, and chronic pain especially in the neck, shoulders, and lower back. Moreover, lack of physical activity can lead to a range of negative effects on mental health, including increased stress and mood decline. Research has found that people who are inactive have three times the rate of moderate to severe depression compared to active people. Both MSK issues and poor mental health have a huge impact on workplace productivity and absenteeism. According to the Office for National Statistics, in 2024 MSK problems accounted for 15.5% of occurrences of sickness absence in the UK, while mental health conditions accounted for 9.8 % of working absences.  


“Physical activity has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen the immune system, improve productivity, increase resilience, lower absenteeism and presenteeism rates and enhance teamwork and self-confidence.”

Physical activity doesn't just contribute to an individual's health and wellbeing, but it’s also a vital component of a healthy and productive workplace. Helping your staff to be physically more active can bring a number of benefits to you as an employer. Employees who engage in regular physical activity often experience lower rates of absenteeism – they report fewer minor illnesses and recover more quickly when they do get them. Also, employees can be more engaged and productive, as physical activity has been shown to enhance cognitive functions, including memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. 


Strategies to encourage employees to be more active 


A group of colleagues playing table tennis at work during lunchtime

There are many strategies that you could implement to empower employees to make informed decisions about their health and encourage them to incorporate more physical activity into their daily routine. To maximise participation and engagement in workplace initiatives, ensure that you offer a variety of physical activity options that cater to different interests and fitness levels.


Here are our tips to help you encourage physical activity in the workplace:


  • Provide your staff with various resources to help them understand the importance of physical activity and how it contributes to their overall wellbeing. Share with them useful websites that offer practical advice and support to stay active:

    • Couch to Fitness - a free and flexible at-home online exercise plan for beginners. The multiweek plan involves 3 video sessions a week, with rest days in between so you can take it at your own pace.

    • This Girl Can - a nationwide campaign encouraging women to get active and reduce the gender gap in sport and physical activity. It offers help and advice for women, such as an online community and the This Girl Can app. 

    • We Are Undefeatable  - a movement supporting people with a range of long-term health conditions. The purpose is to support and encourage finding ways to be active that work with each person’s conditions, not against them.

    • Sport in Mind - a charity offering a wide range of sports and physical sessions for anyone over 17 experiencing mental health problems as well as carers. 

    • Every Body Moves powered by Toyota - a campaign to connect disabled people with opportunities to get active. Various different sports sessions, local facilities, as well as online activities can be found using their ‘Activities near me’ section. 

    • Join a Health Walk – Waking Scotland – local, free group walks led by trained walk leaders along risk assessed routes. These walks are suitable for all walking paces and abilities.

    • Better Health: get active – NSH - tools, tips and special offers to move more every day.


  • You can also consider organising wellbeing workshops or webinars that focus on the benefits of physical activity and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Why not book one of our webinars:

    • Move More, Sit Less Webinar – sharing practical tips for moving more at work and building more physical activity into a daily routine

    • The Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health Webinar – raising awareness of the impact of physical activity on mental health and emotional wellbeing

    • Safe Start to Exercise Webinar – providing strategies for creating an effective exercise programme 


  • Encourage active breaks throughout the day, as constant focus on one activity and looking at a computer screen for a long period of time can lead to muscle strain and mental exhaustion. You could even set up designated areas for activities and provide prompts or guides for desk exercises or standing exercises that can be done without special equipment.


  • Promote active commuting by introducing The Cycle to Work Scheme - a salary-sacrifice employee benefit that enables staff to save up on the cost of a new bike and safety equipment. In the case of the Cycle to Work scheme, hire payments are sacrificed from an employees’ gross monthly salary, with employers seeing a reduction in their gross monthly salary. These payments are not subject to income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs). 


Also, you could provide facilities such as bike racks, showers, and lockers to make active commuting more convenient. For those employees who live too far away for this to be feasible, suggest getting off public transport a stop or two early and walking the rest of the way. Moreover, you could consider introducing a relaxed dress code for those cycling or walking to work. 


A man cycling to work

  • Consider providing stand-up desks or adjustable workstations that allow employees to alternate between sitting and standing. Stand-up desks are a simple but effective way to reduce sedentary behaviour in the workplace – they help burn more calories, improve posture, and reduce back pain. You could also consider providing under-desk walking pads, which would allow staff to walk while performing their work tasks, providing both physical and mental stimulation. 


  • Incorporate physical activity into meetings by turning brainstorming sessions or one-to-one catch ups into ‘walking meetings‘, where employees can discuss matters and collaborate while taking a walk. Check out: A Guide to Walking Meetings, Walking Scotland. 


  • Take part in various wellness initiatives and awareness days throughout the year, such as On Your Feet Britain® or National Fitness Day. You could invite a fitness trainer to run onsite exercises and sports activities during workday. This could be for example yoga classes to help stretch and relax, body conditioning workout to improve overall fitness, or Zumba classes for a fun and enjoyable exercise.


  • Start and promote a walking club at work. It is not only an easy way to get active during the workday, but also a great opportunity for coworkers to interact with each other. Check out: Workplace Walking - a project toolkit 


  • Organise different fitness challenges or competitions such as Stair Climb Challenge, swimming, cycling, or walking challenge. Workplace step challenges are very popular because they are accessible, budget-friendly, and easy for everyone to join regardless of fitness level. You could organise a step challenge as an individual competition in which each participant competes against one another, or as a team-based challenge in which everyone’s steps are combined to achieve one goal. Individuals would simply need a pedometer or an app to log the steps as they walk. You may also think about some rewards as incentives for employees to join the step challenge, e.g. offering gift vouchers for the winning team. Some wellbeing campaigns like National Walking Month in May, are a great opportunity to engage your staff in the challenge. Check out: How to Do a Step Challenge at Work: Ideas & Tips



  • Depending on your budget you may want to provide your staff with wearable fitness trackers or pedometers or offer a subsidy towards their purchase. These devices are great for promoting awareness about everyday movement and encouraging people to be more active. 


  • Provide your own recreational facilities or active zones at work or offer subsidies or discounts for gym memberships. You could try to negotiate corporate discounts for the staff at local gyms and leisure centres. 


A woman at the gym working out

Promoting physical activity is crucial for the overall wellbeing of employees. By providing educational resources and implementing initiatives such as cycle to work schemes, fitness challenges, walking meetings, ergonomic workstations, gym discounts, employers can contribute to a healthier and more productive workplace. There are clear benefits for organisations that have physically active workforce. Employees who adopt a healthy lifestyle often experience fewer sick days, which translates to reduced absenteeism. Physical activity has been also shown to reduce stress, boost mood, and enhance cognitive function, leading to higher levels of job satisfaction and performance. 


Additional resources to help you encourage staff to be more active:



Sources:


 
 
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