There’s been no time like the present for emphasising the need to stay healthy. But even with the ubiquitous precautions like social distancing and self-quarantine in effect, the show must go on for several businesses who have managed to keep going (albeit in a limited or online capacity).
That makes the need for workplace fitness greater than ever, no matter where your workplace is.
Does that mean employers need to start paying their teams to exercise and eat right? Actually, it does—but it doesn’t necessarily mean breaking the bank to do it. The good news is, investing in workplace wellness might even make a business more profitable, which is something many businesses, including those in Singapore, have made a top priority. And here’s why.
Give Less than 100%, Get Less than 100%
Everybody, however fit or frail is prone to illness, and when it strikes, it affects business whether sick employees take time off or come to work just the same. In the UK, sick leaves (combined with being out of a job) costs the government some GBP100 billion and 34.3 million working days lost every year.
A study by Vitality also reports that each UK employee lost 38 productive days a year, with 14.6% of their working hours lost both to absenteeism and presenteeism, which is going to the office even when sick. In the US, CNBC says that 90% of employees admit they’ve gone to work when they weren’t feeling well.
The reasons for presenteeism vary, although the usual ones are not being able to lose a day’s pay or simply having too much work to do. Whatever their reason is, not only are sick employees in the workplace unable to perform at 100%, but they are also likely to get other employees sick, as well.
Feel Better, Perform Better
While businesses in Singapore aren’t required to provide healthcare benefits for employees, businesses that do (often larger, multinational types) often find prevention more cost effective than cure—a finding backed by studies and other businesses overseas.
In the US, the National Council on Strength & Fitness says that corporate wellness programmes return six dollars for every dollar invested, or have an ROI of 500%.
Helping your team to stay healthy means
- Less absences
- Less workplace injuries
- Less work stoppages
- Less stress
- Less turnover
- Greater productivity
- Better performance
- Faster turnaround
- Higher talent retention
- Happier, more engaged staff
According to Warwick University, happy employees work harder and are 12% more productive, while Leeds Metropolitan University says employees who exercise during the day are less likely to have outbursts during working hours.
Communal workplace exercises have the added benefit of enhancing team collaboration, and making your business that much more attractive to potential hires.
But most of all, workplace fitness initiatives show your team that you care about their well-being, and as such, boosts company loyalty. Motive8 says that 50% of employees would overlook a pay hike of 10% to choose a company that cared about their health.
Sound Body, Sound Mind
Fitness, whether in the workplace or elsewhere, is multidimensional, meaning there are psychological as well as physical aspects to be considered.
Put measures in place for team members to keep an eye on each other for signs of stress such as
- Irritability
- Arguments
- Disinterest
- Complaining
- Emotional reactions
- Loss of focus
- Lack of motivation
- Social withdrawal
- Decreased performance
- Increased absences or lateness
Encourage open communication among your team members to make it easier for them to talk about how they’re feeling. Make it a habit to talk to your team members personally, or conduct periodic surveys to gauge how high or low morale is. And do your best to make sure nobody on the team has more work than they can handle at one time.
That same Vitality study mentioned towards the beginning of this post says that 56.4% of surveyed employees suffered from at least one dimension of work-related stress. Another 35.1% of employees say work-related stress caused them to feel unwell. In Singapore, Human Resources reports only 10% of Singaporeans say they’re stress-free.
Fitness in the Singaporean Workplace
Given that stress is an unavoidable part of everyone’s day-to-day, some local businesses do stand out in terms of taking care of their staff’s well-being. Straits Times shares how AIA Singapore automatically enrols all their employees in a wellness programme, KPMG (Peak) supports elite athletes and staff workouts, and OCBC sponsors mass cycling events.
Vulcan Post also shares how Singapore Airlines has a sports club, swimming pool and gym; Razer provides free fitness classes, and ShopBack has weekly yoga and HIIT sessions. Though the Post refers to these programmes as perks, it’s easy to see how workplace fitness is increasingly considered a business necessity rather than a nice-to-have.
Other examples of workplace fitness initiatives shared by Business Insider Singapore notes how Pressed Juicery gives employees free juice, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory holds seasonal farmers’ markets to encourage healthy eating. Playstation provides flu shots and conducts on-site biometric screening, while Genentech provides staff with a mobile meditation app.
How Your Business Can Implement Workplace Fitness
The fitness programmes provided by large companies shouldn’t make relatively smaller businesses feel as though workplace wellness is something beyond their capabilities. It doesn’t take much to get started, and usually requires little more than willpower. Here are some quick and easy tips for promoting workplace fitness for businesses big and small.
Smaller businesses can
- Designate a space or a corner for stretching or doing simple exercises
- Centralise office equipment like printers and sharpeners to encourage people to walk to it
- Post reminders around the office for hand-washing and coughing or sneezing etiquette
- Standardise cleaning and disinfecting for shared spaces like work tables
- Hold “walking meetings” where discussions take place while walking to a park, etc.
- Discourage smoking
- Encourage people to stand up and walk around for a bit while working
Bigger businesses can
- Let people come in a little later if they went to the gym that morning
- Let people shower if they jogged, ran or biked to work
- Encourage healthy food choices in the cafeteria
- Provide drinking water to discourage soda, etc.
- Consider providing paid sick leaves to discourage presenteeism
- Install an air purifying system
- Conduct regular health screening for staff to help nip potential problems in the bud
Work From Home Fitness
Working from home given the current situation doesn’t make workplace fitness any less crucial. In fact, working from home comes with its own health risks that businesses should take note of now that most, if not all of their teams have to do so. These risks include depression stemming from feelings of isolation, and stress from not having a clear delineation between working and off-hours.
Businesses with staff working remotely can continue their fitness programmes—or get a simple one started—online using video apps that facilitate team calls. Many people follow various workouts such as Zumba, Yoga or walking in place on YouTube at home, while others even attend Pilates, Capoeira and other such classes online.
Try to schedule online group workout sessions, or suggest simple workouts that don’t need a lot of space (since space may be limited at home for some staff) such as this one from Darebee. Also, chat with your team members and encourage them to chat with each other once in a while (within reason) to prevent loneliness and to assure them of your continued support during this time.
The Certificate in Exercise Science programme at SMU Academy focuses on learning lifelong skills for leading a healthier lifestyle that can easily be applied in the workplace—be it in the office or at home. Programme participants gain a deeper understanding of the importance of exercise in terms of development as well as prevention.
Modules include Fitness and Conditioning, Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation, Wellness and Health Management, Applied Nutrition for Exercise, Human Motor Control & Development, and Sports Psychology and Habit Formation. Click or tap here for complete programme details, schedules and registration and get started on fitness in your workplace, today.
