Is Exercise The Silver Bullet HR Departments Have Been Looking For?
It's well known that exercise is vital for physical health. And with long-term sick leave at an all-time high, it's now critical for HR departments to explore how preventative measures can help employees keep healthy by incorporating more physical activity into their daily lives.
In the UK alone, 2.75 million people were on long-term sick leave as of August 2024 (source Statista). Many employees in desk-based roles spend more than eight hours a day sitting, which amounts to over 1,300 hours annually, as found by workplace supplies company Banner in a 2023 study. What many surveys have missed though is the severity of the effect on mental, as well as physical health, of a sedentary work life.
Work culture “should promote movement”
Research from sporting goods company Asics in October 2024 highlighted the negative impact of prolonged desk work. After two hours at a desk, employees reported declining mental states and increased stress, with stress levels rising by 18% after four hours of uninterrupted work.
KPI HR Executive Sarah Mainwaring said, “It seems obvious when we look at office-based work culture from an objective viewpoint, but sitting a desk for eight hours a day is bad for both physical and mental welfare. Yet there are still millions of people doing exactly this every day. Add in the fact that many people also spend their ‘lunch-hour’ sat at their desk and it becomes a wellbeing problem waiting to happen.”
“Businesses need to ensure that staff have a culture and a workload that promotes movement,” said Sarah. “And the business case for this is as strong as the duty of care case.”
HR needs creative ideas to engage employee wellbeing
Wellbeing is increasingly a key factor in employee retention. According to a report by wellbeing provider Wellhub, 83% of UK employees said they would consider leaving their employer if there was a lack of focus on wellbeing. Moreover, employees with access to wellness programs were more likely to rate their wellbeing as "good" or "thriving" (69%) compared to those without such programs (53%).
Healthy working environment ‘should be the norm’
The importance of creating a healthy work environment is now being recognised at the governmental level. Recently, UK health secretary Wes Streeting and prime minister Keir Starmer suggested weight loss injections could be offered to unemployed individuals with obesity who are on long-term sick leave. Following this, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) recommended that companies failing to promote a healthy workplace should face penalties, emphasising that sending employees back to unhealthy work environments after medical leave is counterproductive.
“It’s as clear as day that encouraging employees to look after their health has huge benefits for employers,” said KPI Commercial Director Lily James. “Exercise benefits both their physical and mental wellbeing and improves overall productivity, but businesses must provide a structure and culture to enable staff to move or workout regularly throughout the working day to capitalise on the benefits. If they can do this, not only do employers win through reduced absence and staff turnover, but they also gain through increased productivity and a happier, more engaged workforce.”
For advice on how to get the best from your recruitment campaigns and promote the posisitve aspects of your business to candidates, contact KPI's Commercial team.
- KPI Recruiting Crewe 01270 589943 - Call Leanne Dennis or email Leanne@kpir.co.uk
- KPI Recruiting Stoke 01782 712230 - Call Olivia Caci or email OliviaC@kpir.co.uk
- KPI Recruiting Telford 01952 597797 - Call Kayeligh Housden or email KayleighH@kpir.co.uk
- KPI Recruiting Warrington 01925 637871 - Call Lily James or email LilyJ@kpir.co.uk
- KPI Recruiting Wigan 01942 597215 - Call Katy Stobart or email KatyS@kpir.co.uk
