Peter Waterhouse, business director of The Corporate Fitness Company, talks about how having a healthy staff can make good business sense.
KEY POINTS:
Q. Why is it important to have fit and healthy staff?
A. Recreation and sport are key factors in increasing output of employees, influencing morale and lowering stress levels, according to findings of the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research. Performance is enhanced as physical activity improves concentration, memory, creativity and the ability to solve problems. Activity plays a role in cutting absenteeism and increasing productivity.
Q. What kind of responsibility does the employer have to keep staff healthy?
A. Employers have a responsibility to encourage well-being among staff, and are in a uniquely influential position to encourage better health and fitness among their workers.
Q. Is this something that should reasonably be done by the individual, not the employer?
A. Many individuals are motivated to improve their health and fitness, but will number fewer than 20 per cent of employees in most organisations. People would like to improve their health and fitness but many fail to make sustainable gains without motivation and guidance.
Q. What if staff don't want to get involved in any corporate health initiative?
A. Fewer than 50 per cent of staff in most organisations that implement a programme choose not to be involved initially. Without prompting, more become involved as the benefits and enjoyment become obvious. Participation and endorsement by senior executives provides encouragement.
Q. How can staff be encouraged to join in, and what can be done to improve their health and fitness?
A. Staff can be encouraged through presentations and demonstrations of benefits, including how exercise in teams of like abilities is a highly motivating and supportive way of enjoying activity and making improvements, particularly for people of limited levels of fitness. A successful approach is to implement a corporate programme of activity and training towards completing an achievable event, such as a half-marathon by walking, jogging or running.
Q. What level of expense is needed to implement a health and fitness programme at work?
A. Independent and professional corporate programmes can cost as little as $150 a person a year.
Q. What would a corporate fitness programme developed for a workplace look like?
A. A typical corporate team programme targets an event for team entry, such as a 12-week programme towards completing a half-marathon. Each group and every participant is monitored regularly, given personal advice and encouragement, and help with problems. The programme includes periodic sessions involving the whole team at one venue. Each participant is encouraged to train individually and with others, most often outside work hours. Several companies identify events that will involve travel for a weekend, providing assistance towards accommodation, travel and event costs, adding to the team-building initiative.
Q. How can I try to convince my employer to take health and fitness in the workplace seriously?
A. Float some compelling statistics past your employer and initiate a presentation by a professional group that provides independent corporate fitness services.
www.corporatefitness.co.nz
