Becoming a Better Business: Promoting Health & Fitness in the Workplace
After a relaxing, food centered holiday season it can be challenging to get employees motivated, re-invigorated and performing at their optimal best. One way to re-ignite staff morale, increase productivity and boost self-esteem is to promote health and fitness at your workplace. What better time than the start of a new year to get the blood flow pumping at your business.
The follow are some simple cost-effective tips for promoting fitness in your workplace:
1) Join a fitness focused fundraising event. Encourage employees to bond together to take part in a fundraising event for another organization. Participation in walkathons, marathons, row-athons and many other such events require employees to come together as individuals or a group to raise money and improve their health and fitness, all for a good cause.
2) Coordinate office health and fitness clubs. You may simply create a notice board where people can post their health and fitness interests and seek out others with similar interests. Or you could establish regular office clubs such as walking, running, yoga, tennis, squash, diet, or non-smoking clubs that meet together and participate in an activity on a regular basis.
3) Start a competition. Healthy competition is always a great motivator. Consider setting some health and fitness goals and encourage a competition between individuals, teams or differing businesses. Provide incentive and a reward for those that reach the intended goal. Incentives may include a special celebration or party, a gift card, extra vacation time or a donation on your businesses behalf to a charity of the winners choice.
4) Arrange discounts or subsidies for participation in a local fitness centre. Fitness centres are often willing to create discount packages for group sign-ups. If such an arrangement is not a possibility consider offering staff a bonus or subsidy for signing up for an annual fitness membership.
5) Promote team sports. There are many inexpensive intramural drop-in and fee based team, sporting opportunities on Vancouver Island. Consider putting together a team from your business (and/or other businesses) to participate in an ongoing sports league or weekend tournament.
The key to any successful workplace health and fitness program is the effective engagement of employees in the program and the ongoing support of management. Some positive incentive is typically required in order to get people involved and committed to participating in a program. Put someone in charge of coordinating, monitoring and encouraging program participation.