Looking for exercises your team can do at work for that energy boost? It’s a good idea! As the days get shorter, and autumn progresses in to the winter months, we soon begin to feel tired and sluggish and it’s easy to think we have left all of energy behind with the summer sun.
We find ourselves getting up in the dark and going home in the dark, we rely on artificial heating and synthetic lighting, we crave more stodgy foods and the prospect of getting outside in to the fresh air for any attempt at exercise suddenly becomes that bit more challenging.
The impact of this on productivity at work can be severe. People tend to take more days off during the winter months, leaving businesses struggling to cope with staffing issues and the need to meet managerial deadlines.
Well fear not, there are lots of ways to support your employee’s health and wellbeing during the winter, and there are plenty of exercises you can do at work to give your staff that all important energy boost.
Want to find out more? Read on…
Why Should We Exercise at Work?
If your employees are indicating they are feeling tired all of the time, the last thing you want to do is implement a rigorous exercise regime, however, did you know that some form of gentle exercise can actually have a very beneficial impact on that fatigued feeling? And with the right approach, you can soon motivate your team to participate, leading to improved health for your workforce, and reducing the risk of any decrease in productivity.
It is a well-known fact that when you exercise, your brain releases a lot of positive endorphins in to the body, creating a happier mood, even when you don’t feel great.
Not only do your clothes feel better thanks to improved muscle tone, it is widely recognised that by taking part in regular exercise, people can benefit from feeling generally more relaxed, developing improved sleep patterns, seeing a reduction in stress levels and reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Furthermore, by partaking in any form of exercise, this can actually lead to increased energy levels even in those who suffer from persistent fatigue and progressive illnesses. Indeed, physical activity is said to improve skin health thanks to the stimulation of blood flow and antioxidants in the cardiovascular system and similarly improve brain and memory functions.
In fact, doing any form of light to moderate exercise even just a couple of times per week can have a very positive, overall effect, all you have to do is encourage your employees to see the benefits!
Exercises to do at Work
The key here is to make it part of your company culture and with a little bit of creativity, you can find ways of encouraging your workforce to increase their physical activity, without the need to have to route march everybody out to the gym! Here are just some suggestions you could implement;
Encourage your employees to use the stairs instead of the lift
This is a great way to boost your heart rate and get those positive endorphins coursing through your veins; and if your employees see you doing this then they will hopefully be motivated to do the same. Increasing your steps around the office by holding meetings in the office at the far end of the corridor rather than the closest, or by walking between departments to speak to somebody rather than using the internal phone system will all stimulate activity levels in staff, without even realising it!
Set up a lunch time walking or running club for your employees
Whether you are lucky enough to work near open spaces or you are based in the city centre, make time during your lunch break to go for a walk. Encourage your workforce to bring their trainers to work and get outside during the middle of the day. This will mean you are exposed to natural daylight and even if the weather isn’t so great, pull your hood up and brace yourself; spending 15 – 20 minutes out in the fresh air will set you up for a refreshed and productive afternoon.
Do some chair exercises
When it gets to that weary 3pm feeling and everybody is starting to slow down, instead of reaching for coffee and biscuits encourage a range of chair exercises. It’s fun and there are loads to choose from; you can exercise your abs and stretch your arms and legs without even having to get up from your seat if you don’t want to! (Or you could go the whole hog and get some lively music on and don some leg warmers… either way it’s bound to increase productivity!)
Sign up to the Wellspace Corporate Wellbeing Programme!
Our clever wellbeing app offer solutions for employers and their employees to improve their overall wellness; including fitness, nutrition and reducing stress. We are currently running our 3-month Well-being Pilot Scheme, which is free to join if you sign up before the end of 2018 and offers companies innovative ways to boost workforce energy levels.
Keeping Motivated to Exercise at Work
Of course one of the hardest things to do in the winter is to keep motivated!
We naturally cover up more, reaching for extra layers of clothing to keep warm; baggy jumpers and comfy leggings replace shorts and vest tops, and the summer wardrobe seems an eternity away! Firstly, make sure you keep your offices at optimum working temperatures. Secondly here at Wellspace we can offer rewards from leading high street brands, such as John Lewis, Starbucks, Marks and Spencer and Vue Cinema just for staying active and healthy!
Contact us
So if you refuse to let the winter beat you, and like us you can see all the benefits exercise can bring to maintaining a healthy workforce, then why not contact us here for more information or call us on 0808 178 0748 where one of our expert team will be delighted to chat to you.
We look forward to hearing your own creative ideas for exercises you can do at work and how these will go hand in hand with our Employee Wellness Scheme.
