A stress-busting lunchtime workout would help employees perform better in the workplace, according to a nation-wide survey of businesses by Croner, one of the UK’s leading providers of business information and advice.
The online poll found that 69 percent of HR professionals believe providing exercise facilities at work or helping with gym costs would boost productivity and morale.
Croner says the results are encouraging to employers faced with driving productivity, if they are prepared to offer exercise facilities. But conversely, the company is advising them that a culture of long hours and skipping lunch breaks, which leaves little time for exercise, could actually be making UK workers less productive.
Fitness experts agree that working out can help boost energy levels, and in the long-term contribute to being fitter, healthier and happier.
But, with a quarter of all UK employees working more than 48 hours each week, many are struggling to find time for exercise. The British Heart Foundation reports that two thirds of the population take no exercise at all.
Peter Etherington, human resources expert at Croner, part of Wolters Kluwer UK, says: There has never been a greater need for people to do more exercise, but many view working up a sweat as a chore they don’t have time for. Employers can do their bit to help, and we’re seeing an increasing number providing exercise facilities.
Even companies who don’t have the space or resources to build their own gym can consider offering subsidised gym membership, organising sporting activities, or even providing healthy snack machines and water coolers to encourage an overall healthier working environment.
But Peter believes that providing exercise facilities is not enough on its own to boost productivity and morale, and that bosses need to assess whether their workplace culture could actually be demotivating their staff.
He says: Lunch breaks and leaving on time should not be an occasional luxury. When considering the health and wellbeing of their staff, employers should also think about encouraging sensible working hours.
Evidence suggests that employees who put in the hours for the sake of appearances are not actually any more productive than those who leave on time - in fact the opposite is often true.
Managing absence, productivity and retaining staff are among the most common queries Croner receives from employers calling its Business Support Helplines.
Peter says: Listening to the day-to-day problems HR managers are facing, those that have a work-late culture tend to have higher levels of sickness and more problems with motivation, morale and staff retention.
While we wouldn’t specifically advise employers to introduce exercise facilities or help with exercise costs as a quick-fix to increase profits, we would recommend they consider ways to address the health and wellbeing of their workforce.
As the saying goes, a healthy body means a healthy mind, and our survey shows that helping employees to build exercise into a hectic lifestyle could mean a fitter business.
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