Health and Wellness Leads : Workplace Physical Activity Programs: Keys to Success

To make a difference in the lives of your fellow staff members, you first need to grasp that getting active is not simply a matter of choice. Some things are within our individual control, but others are shaped by the people and circumstances in which we live and work.

It’s Easier to Be Active When…

• We know what to do and have the confidence, skills and opportunity to do it.
• It’s fun. “Working out” at the fitness center does not appeal to everyone. Activities need to reflect what individuals enjoy.
• Our friends, family or co-staff members are active with us (or at least support us).
• We feel safe, thanks to well-lit streets or stairwells.
• Sidewalks, walking/biking trails, parks and gyms are nearby.
• We have money to pay for equipment, instruction or memberships.
• We can walk, bike or take public transit to work.
• Active choices such as taking the stairs, having stretch breaks at meetings and going outside at lunchtime are “normal” in the worksite.
• Managers support and recognize employee efforts. Better yet, they participate.
• We can juggle our work hours to fit in physical exercise.

Think about how you might set up some of these conditions in your worksite. By taking these steps, you’ll make it more likely that workers both want and are able to be active during working hours.

Workplace physical activity pushes that focus only on individuals have limited success. Research shows that reaching people in various ways gives the best chance of long-term success.

A strategy directed at multiple levels is also called an “ecological approach.”