Workplace Wellness: Fitness Program

You have so many options for implementing fitness programs in the workplace: from subsidizing gym memberships to setting up a walking program. And, there are just as many ways to provide incentives for your employees to participate.

The benefits are obvious - an improved health, alertness, and general well being of your staff, resulting in a reduction in the number of injuries, WSIB claims, and sick days. In effect, a fitness program will help your employees become a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce.

First Things First

Ensure that participants are fit enough to safely take part. Take into account the age and body types of the people involved before choosing the elements of your program. As with undertaking any health regimen, a physical exam by a qualified health professional is advised.

There are different styles to consider: Aerobic, Strength, and Agility. A good program will incorporate elements of each.

Some Options and Ideas

• If your office building has a lot of stairs or if you are on a lower floor, you might suggest walking up instead of taking the elevator.
• Try a "Walk to Work Day" for employees who live close enough.
• Provide handbooks for employees to find out more about the various options open to them.
• How about a lunch time group walk?
• Bring in a Personal Trainer to help devise a program for the group and/or individuals. They can also be brought in to measure progress.
• Subsidize memberships at a fitness club near the office.
• Group yoga is healthy, therapeutic, and team-building.
• Provide storage for bicycles and other equipment.
• Encourage regular physical activities: sponsor a company team or arrange regular activity nights.
• Allow flexible working hours to let personnel fit in exercise time before or after work.
• Install showers in the office.
• Bring in small exercise equipment that can be used throughout the day.
• Implement the Fitness Challenge, where the goals are to be the Most Improved, rather than to compete with each other.

The Physical Activity Challenge

30 minutes of physical activity three times a week can help set you on the path to improved health. Benefits include better self-esteem, reduced stress, increased relaxation, and slowing the aging process.

Reaching your thirty minutes of physical activity can be easier than you thought. 30 minutes does not have to be "30 consecutive minutes" - a minimum block of five minutes can be counted toward your daily total.

We have provided scorecards to help you keep track of how many minutes you are putting in each day. Challenge point tracking can also be done online as part of the EmployeeWellness.ca suite of tools.

Fast ways to add minutes to your total:

• Park your car farther away from the office.
• Get off the bus a few stops early.
• If you live close enough, walk to work.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• Organize or join a lunch-time group walk.
• Organize or join a company sports team.
• Exercise while watching TV.
• Walk or bike while doing your errands.
• Go dancing!

For more information on workplace fitness programs, visit the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute.

Poster

These posters are still available for download and self-printing. Versions that match the new challenges and suite of marketing materials are available on Wellergize.ca (information below).

Preview poster

• 600 DPI - Physical Activity Poster - letter size (PDF zip-compressed)
• 600 DPI - Physical Activity Poster - legal size (PDF zip-compressed)
• 600 DPI - Physical Activity Poster - legal size (PDF rar-compressed)
• 150 DPI - Physical Activity Poster - legal size (PDF rar-compressed)
• 600 DPI - Physical Activity Poster - letter size (PDF rar-compressed)
• 150 DPI - Physical Activity Poster - letter size (PDF rar-compressed)

Printed versions of the updated posters (see the main photo in the Challenges section) are available at Wellergize.ca, along with dry-erase challenge scorecards, and manual for implementing the challenge, and other wellness program management tools & marketing collateral. You can also implement the Workplace Wellness Challenges online with our EmployeeWellness.ca interface.

For prices and ordering: info2009@wellergize.ca or
by phone: In Toronto and Area call 647.723.6381 or call 1.866.395.8904 Toll-free. Dial anwer group (ext) 4..

You can find workplace wellness statistics and quotes among other great wellness program tools at our Wellergize.ca site.