Should Exercise Be Part of the Job?

Companies have an obligation and self-interest to look after their employees.

People are spending ever-longer hours slaving away at their desks, forced into a sedentary lifestyle that is reportedly more dangerous to their health than smoking. Companies realized the dangers of passive smoking years ago – it is about time that they addressed the true elephant in the room:

Office life is inherently bad for your health

Many companies choose to turn a blind eye to the fact that they are growing while their employees are destroying their health. They might be of the opinion that it is down to the individuals to keep themselves healthy in their spare time, but actually, with long commutes and long days, not everyone is able to make that choice. People with families will value time with their loved ones over time in the gym. Younger employees will value time with their social circle, and older employees may simply not have the energy after a long and draining day sitting still.

Yes, sitting still is incredibly tiring. It saps your energy, deflates your morale, weakens your body and dulls your mind.

The benefits of exercise are so well known that I personally believe that far more companies should be offering exercise opportunities as part of the working day. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it should be compulsory, but it should be made an integral part of every company’s culture. There is nothing more important than giving people a choice to have a healthier office life.

There is a lot of science behind this….

Fit employees are likely to have less time off through illness. One survey conducted by the Integrated Benefits Institute that represents major U.S. employers and business coalitions, showed that absenteeism due to illness costs US employers $576 billion in lost revenue per year.

Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently.

Working up a sweat can help manage physical and mental stress. Exercise also increases concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress and releases higher levels of endorphins, which make us feel on top of the world.

Being fit improves your concentration and sharpens your memory. Exercise boosts the chemicals in the brain that support and prevent degeneration of the hippocampus, an important part of the brain for memory and learning. Working out even helps create new brain cells (neurogenesis) – and smoothens out those neural pathways for better decision-making.

Exercising helps with productivity and regulates the circadian rhythms of our bodies, helping us to sleep better at night and have more energy in the day. Some experts believe that midday is the perfect time for a workout. Lunchtime step class in the office anyone?

Studies have even suggested that a person’s creativity is given a boost in the subsequent couple of hours after a workout. I am sure that we have all had that feeling of both physical “exhaustion” and mental sharpness upon exiting the shower at the gym. Get your laptop out immediately and tackle that tricky problem.

From my point of view, one of the biggest benefits of organizing exercise classes at work is the camaraderie and culture that it creates. There are very few opportunities for people to bond within the office setting, but if half the team sweats it out twice a week in a spinning class just before the end of the official working day, you can be sure that they will feel that little bit closer to each other.

Mens Sana In Corpore Sano

[a healthy mind in a healthy body]

Maybe that should be somewhere on the list of your company’s values?

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below as I learn just as much from you. I write a daily blog on leadership, innovation, careers, tech & self improvement. Here are some other articles I have written. If you like what you read, please feel free to follow me here on LinkedIn or via twitter @anuragharsh.