Health and Wellness Leads : Company Health Promotion Programs: How Company Policies Can Help Employees to Remain Active

• Commit to workplace physical exercise in policy statements and commit funding to physical exercise initiatives.
• Clearly communicating the advantages of being physically active during the workday reinforces the company’s responsibility to helping all workers be active. Use meetings, bulletin boards, newsletters and e-mail to reach as many workers as possible at least once a year.
• Provide flex time for physical activity. Invite workers who actively commute to work or exercise at lunch to make up any missed time later in the day.
• Consider allowing staff members to work part time, so that they can take part in physical activity.
• Include a physical exercise account in your benefit plan to pay for or subsidize fitness memberships, assessments, classes, counselling or instruction.
• Give interest-free loans for workers to buy bicycles or good walking shoes/runners.
• Conduct periodic employee interest surveys of employee physical exercise preferences, and offer a variety of options to suit those interests and needs.
• Hire qualified individuals to lead stretch breaks or physical exercise programs or classes. For help in finding accredited fitness leaders, visit Alberta’s Provincial Fitness Unit.
• Recognize staff members who take part in physical activity. Survey staff members first to determine how they prefer to be recognized, e.g., through corporation newsletters, appreciation lunches, rewards and/or thank you notes.
• Provide child care and other family-friendly amenities during physical activities that occur after work.
• Avoid scheduling meetings during lunch.
• Encourage active breaks instead of coffee breaks.
• Have active fundraisers instead of bingos. By way of example, staff members might climb the Calgary Tower stairs or take turns riding a stationary bike for 24 hours.
• Make birthday celebrations active times. Instead of a lunch, invite the birthday person to choose an activity. Options could include a session with a yoga instructor or an evening ski trip.
• Promote a casual dress day. One study found that workers who dress casually were more physically active.