Get Desk-Bound Employees Active During the Work Day
It’s often hard for your employees to find time to get up and move around when their job requires them to sit at a desk for most of the day. As their employer, it’s important that you promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage your employees to get moving as much as possible. Here are some ways you can incorporate fitness into their work day for improved health:
Take Hourly Breaks
These breaks don’t have to be incredibly frequent or long, but having your employees get up and move around is important. Sitting down for too long can lead to health concerns like an increased risk of:
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- Depression
Every hour or so, have employees get up and take a stroll around the office once or twice. During lunch encourage them to take a walk around the parking lot or building instead of spending their entire lunch break on the computer. Allowing them to step away from their work for a minute or two and move around will give them an energy boost to tackle the rest of the day’s tasks.
Swap a Chair for a Ball
Instead of lounging in a desk chair all day long, stimulate your employees’ muscles by having exercise balls available for them to use as a desk chair. An exercise ball helps employees maintain core strength in addition to overall muscle tone thanks to all that balancing. Exercise balls should not be a permanent replacement for desk chairs. Overuse of an exercise ball can put a lot of strain on the lower back and can also lead to poor posture. Encourage employees to switch out every once in a while and show them how to sit on the exercise ball correctly.
Stretch & Work Out at the Desk
Encourage your employees to treat themselves to some desk stretches and exercises as often as they remember—as long as it doesn’t interfere with getting their work done. Desk exercises are convenient, easy, and effective, and anyone can do them regardless of fitness level.