Employee Fitness is a must for any company that wants happy and healthy employees, as well as promote wellness in the workplace. But how do you motivate your company to get up, get moving and get active? We run down some of the top ideas that promote a healthy lifestyle, especially with a workforce that often spends all day sitting at a desk. Feel free to steal these ideas for your company, and let us know how well they work for you.
1. Start a Wellness Program
Ok, here at IncentFit we admit we’re biased, but first place on the list must be to implement a Wellness Program across your organization. A comprehensive wellness program doesn’t have to be fancy. Running yearly fitness challenges, or offering discounts at local fitness facilities are just two easy option many of our clients have instituted. But if you’re not ready to implement benefits or Gym Reimbursements across your organization just yet, then read on, there are plenty more ideas available! Another option is to participate in an intensive outpatient program.
2. Drop the chips
Wellness often starts in the break room. Maybe it’s time to ditch the sodas and candy bars in favor of juices and fruit? You can trial the new options for a week, or even offer the new health choices for free for a limited time. If you’re getting some resistance, try polling your employees and see if it’s just a few outspoken voices. You can easily poll your employees through an employee wellness survey (this link has a free template)! What’s important is to help break the sugar cycle.
3. Create standing desks
Employees who are sitting at a desk all day can often be the hardest to motivate. Offer them the choice of a standing desk. There’s a huge variety out there, and if the price of the top of the line options is making you shudder then try some options from Ikea, so it doesn’t break the bank. Don’t forget an Antifatigue Floor Mat, it’s essential for long standing periods.
4. Join a local sports league
If your office is big enough then get employees active by joining a local sports league. Not only will it get them up and about, but it will also foster inter-department relationships and help company communication. If your company isn’t big enough ask another local business to join together in a team.
5. Turn a meeting into a walking meeting
This can be great fun, as long as everyone is ready for it. Plan your route, think through how it will work and try it out once a week. You’ll burn calories and get the job done. This is especially useful for those long drawn out meetings that really should be shorter.
6. Subsidize wearable technology
Simply the act of tracking your fitness can have a huge impact on how if you are. If your budget can afford it then offer FitBits or any of the huge range of competitor wearable devices to your employees. If your budget won’t then take a look at Apple Health and Google Fit, which come as standard now on iOS and Android.
7. Take the stairs
Post up a note by the elevator saying to take the stairs. If that doesn’t work then go one better, make it a competition! Put a sheet at the top of the stairs with people’s names on it and have them check off how many times they do.
8. Nap time
Here’s one that every employee is going to love, naptime! Most adults don’t get enough sleep, and having rest promotes productivity. Allow sofas or recliners to be used for impromptu naps, your employees will thank you for it.
Whatever encouragement or incentive you use to promote fitness for your employees should always fit your culture. This is your chance to give employees what they want from wellness. Keep good humor about it, ask for feedback, and above all, get active!
