The modern office is not favorable for leading a healthy lifestyle. This is due largely in part to most employees remaining deskbound while completing most of their tasks. Too much sitting, according to the Mayo Clinic, increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Sitting for four or more hours a day is enough to cause health problems. This means that most office workers are engaging in unhealthy habits every single day just by showing up to work.
Not only is sitting for long periods bad for an employee’s health, but it’s also bad for their productivity. When an employee is stimulated, their cognitive skills increase. By this logic, sitting or remaining sedentary for extended periods of time can affect a person’s thinking.
This is why you should tell your workers to take a hike.
Walking is one of the best exercises for employees to do during their time at work. It’s easy, it’s safe, and it’s affordable. Best of all, it is time efficient since it does not take much time away from actual work.
Human beings are created to walk short distances for relatively short amounts of time. To get the health benefits that are associated with regular exercise, an employee need only spend 30 minutes walking, three to four times a week. If they choose, employees can break it up into two 15-minute sessions to get the same benefit.
Employers should encourage their employees to walk every day. Resources like mobile step-counting apps, Fitbits and other monitoring devices can help organizations stay on track in reaching their exercise goals. If your business conducts numerous meetings, consider having a short walk and talk around the facility to replace one of them.
Most importantly, supporting employees in their endeavor to remain active benefits the entire organization.
Walking stimulates brain activity, exposes indoor personnel to sunlight, and produces an overall feeling of wellbeing.
For more help on wellness programs for employees and staff, contact Vanguard Resources.
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