Prior, we have covered several articles about employee incentives and health and wellness perks within the workplace. Forbes Magazine wrote an article on “Why We Pay Our Employees To Exercise at Work” and the reasons range from weight management to increased productivity to disease prevention. There are very few reasons, if any, on why this should not happen at every office. However, what are some specific ways we can incorporate fitness into the workplace? There are fun and engaging ways to get up and get moving within the workplace even when you don’t feel like it.
Under Desk Bike Pedals
Something that I keep seeing all over the Internet is these under the desk bike pedals. This specific brand is a little bit pricey at $189, but if you have a sedentary office job—this is a perfect way to get moving without feeling like you’re going to need a shower after you are done. This is something that corporations could purchase and offer to employees to rotate or to have one for each department. Of course there is also the option of purchasing it for personal use to bring into the office.
Walks Before or After Work
Whether you have a large or small group of people, you can travel in a group to walk around the surrounding neighborhood of your work (as long as it is safe)! An idea to get this started is to create a flyer and post it in the break room. Have a designated person put their phone number down and create a group chat to correspond with one another. This is a great way for the employees to develop long lasting relationships with one another and to build trust within the company. This also provides stress relief to those who need it before or after a long day at the office.
Offer Yoga Sessions
John Hopkins reported that yoga can provide more energy, better moods, promote heart health, manage stress, and connect you with a supportive community. Why would you not want to have that incorporated into your office weekly? If the weather is nice, you could hold meetings outside or if you have a large space in the office, provide the mats. Have a certified yoga instructor come out and do the basics of yoga with your team and see how people start to thrive more!
Virtual Classes to Choose From
People are more likely to participate in something if they have a choice in what it is. Each week you can send out a survey about what kind of workout they would like them to screen for the workout of the day. It can be hosted live or it can be recorded but it is performed as a group after work. Some examples are: Zumba, HIIT, Lifting, Indoor Walk, Dancing, and so on.
Time to Move
I think it is time to realize that when you are at the office all day, it can be overwhelming and stressful to not have a mental break. These workouts do not have to happen every day, it can start by happening once a week. It is meant to benefit everyone and to make the office an overall better place to work at. What are some other ideas? Let us know at BetterYou!
