Posts from — May 2010

Gaining management support is critical to the success of a physical activity initiative.

Whether the changes you’d like to make involve the work environment, overall policies or specific programs, successfully implementing your ideas depends on management support.

Support from management is critical for three reasons –

• You need their agreement to involve staff members in a workplace initiative.

• When management compensates attention to and supports an initiative, workers also see the initiative as worthwhile.

• Management has the power to give work time and money to support the initiative.

It’s important to keep management involved throughout a exercise initiative, but at three points you’ll need support for –

• an overall concept, including a go-ahead to assess what workers want to do within the limitations of your workplace environment.

• A detailed plan (based on the assessment above) coupled with resources to carry out the plan.

• Investigating the initiative to improve it along the way or to advocate for continuing or expanding the initiative.

Approaching Management

Before approaching management to gain initial support for promoting exercise during the workday, do your homework.

• Prepare a business case clearly outlining how the organization will benefit by promoting exercise during the workday.

• List the individual, social and corporate advantages of physical activity and the advantages of being active during the workday.

• Present some general ideas about what the program might include. See the Success Stories and Ideas sections on this website to highlight what other workplaces have done.

Expect questions such as the following from management –

• How will this help our company?

• How can we motivate workers to participate?

• How much will it cost to run this program or make this change?

• How are we going to know a year from now when this was a good use of time and resources?

Ask managers about the range of activities they would support. Often managers have ideas of their own they would like to see acted on to improve the workplace.

Remember to include middle managers when gaining support for your initiative. They could be very helpful when you need volunteers to lead teams in corporate physical activity challenges.

In today’s corporation environment, the health of workers is often related to the health of the corporation. Increased job satisfaction, improved morale, decreased illness and injuries, and increased productivity are just some advantages of having healthful workers.

Promoting health in your workplace doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or time-consuming. Any organization, big or small, can promote healthful eating and active living in the workplace. Here are some suggestions –

Healthy Eating

• for breakfast meetings, in lieu of serving donuts, large muffins, cookies, tea and coffee with cream and sugar, offer healthier alternatives such as bagels, small muffins, fresh fruit, water, 100 percent fruit juice and milk with coffee and tea.

• for lunch meetings, avoid serving chips, fried foods, rich pastas, and salads loaded with dressing. Instead, offer sandwiches, bagels, whole grain low fat crackers and cheese, 100 % fruit juice, water, salads with dressing on the side, vegetable and fruit trays.

• Reimburse workers for items purchased to improve their health (e.g. healthful eating cookbooks, consultation with a Registered Dietitian).

• Arrange for the cafeteria or food providers to offer healthful food choices.

• Arrange to have healthy options like bottled water, 100% fruit juice, fruit bars, and raisins available in vending machines.

• Give a means for people  to share healthy recipes with each other (for example, posting recipes on the Intranet, on posters or by e-mail).

Active Living

• Plan events and group activities to encourage employees to become active, like walking programs, contests and challenge events, stretch breaks, team sports or participation in local or provincial events.

• Offer onsite health professionals (e.g. personal trainers, fitness instructors) or incorporate this service in employee assistance programs to help staff members work towards physical activity goals.

• Provide a supportive environment in the workplace that makes healthful options easy –  bicycle racks, shower facilities, clean, safe and accessible stairwells, walking or running routes about the workplace, and health club facilities.

• Allow for flex time so that workers have more opportunities to participate in fitness plans as part of their working day.

• Reimburse employees for full or partial club membership fees, fitness class registrations, and fitness equipment purchases.

• Provide corporate health club memberships to reduce costs of individual memberships.

Keeping It Fresh!

Find a champion to –

• Organize lunch “n learn sessions to provide information and motivation for healthy consuming and active living.

• Invite demonstrators to provide cooking lessons or tips for making healthful foods.

• Post a rotating list in a common room of local restaurants that offer healthy food choices on their menus.

• Distribute information to educate employees on portion sizes.

• Include exercise and nutrition information in newsletters, pay check inserts, bulletin boards or e-mails.

• Plan activities that promote healthful eating and exercise. for example, start a year-round lunch-time walking club, and special activities

Can a small business support corporate wellness? Absolutely! Truly, in some ways it’s easier to create a healthful workplace in a small business than in a big company.

Limited resources, especially in small companies, can prevent an business from setting up a wellness program. Reasons can include –

• lack of budget resources;

• lack of staff;

• lack of senior-level support;

• little knowledge of the wellness theory and;

• concern about making wellness available to all staff members.

According to the Wellness Councils of America, some small corporation owners might have the wrong idea of what is involved in having a wellness program.

Some businesss are not sure a program would really work and others feel that attempting to change personal lifestyle behaviours is intruding and “none of their business”.  

Perhaps they do not understand that it does not need to be expensive and that they do not need special staff. They could not realize that some staff would like to see some healthy changes and would help make things happen in their workplace.

It can be Done

Many small corporations have found ways to have a wellness program that works for them. They keep the cost and effort to a minimum and still have results that are positive for everybody.

In 2006, Graham Lowe wrote a report on the best places to work in Calgary. He said that healthful workplaces often have a “positive workplace culture”.  In a workplace with a positive culture, people  feel appreciated, valued, and trusted.

Dr. Lowe says it’s easier for a small workplace to have a positive workplace culture than for a big workplace. A lot of employees prefer to work for a small business, he says, because it provides more opportunities to work closely with others and create a sense of community.

In his report, Dr. Lowe says the most successful corporations with fewer than 100 workers have –

• great worker benefits;

• policies that promote a balance between work and personal life;

• flexible schedules;

• competitive salaries;

• excellent leadership with an emphasis on teamwork;

• environmentally responsible business policies;

• procedures for seeking employee input; and

• a focus on placing employees’ personal well-being ahead of the personal gain of corporation leaders.

All or most of these elements are also components of a good wellness program.

Tips and Ideas

There are many ways to include wellness in a small business. You do not necessarily need a wellness expert or a fancy gym.

What you do need is support from management and a committee of a few committed people . Here are some ideas that your workplace can consider.

Communications and Promotion

• Send out a regular “wellness” newsletter in hard copy or online. Or send out a simple message such as the weekly Healthy U Hot Tip.

• Use promotions that are already designed like Healthy Workplace Week.

Active Living and Healthful Eating

•  Be certain to encourage staff to sign up for the Stairway to Health stair climbing competition.

• Get pedometers for employees and track their steps.

• Rent a nearby school or community health club and offer exercise classes.

• Hire a local fitness instructor to give classes or lead stretch breaks. Costs can be shared with workers.

• Install secure bike parking.

• Serve healthful alternatives at corporation meetings and lunches.

Policy and Organizational Programs

• Hire an ergonomics professional to assess workstations.

• Create policies to support work-life balance (for example, mandatory vacations, flextime, limits to work and e-mail on personal time).

• Give a wellness subsidy for a variety of health and leadership activities and courses.

• Offer financial incentives to be healthful.

• Offer wellness incentives as rewards and recognition for a job well done.

• Conduct an organizational health audit (NQI Healthful Workplace Week).

• Become a partner with the community (for example, daycare, gyms, festivals, parks, restaurants).

• Spread the workload. Make certain to set up a wellness committee.

Small companies might not have a lot of time, money, or human resources available for a wellness program. But they often have a immense advantage over big companies-a positive workplace culture.

That is a excellent foundation for a wellness program. When staff members are satisfied, enjoy their work environment, they are more productive, and tend to be healthier.  With a little creativity and passion, small businesses can develop successful wellness programs.

Get support from management, form a committee of two or more and discover the possibilities!

Corporate wellness is evolving.

Early efforts to develop healthful workplaces focused on safety at the worksite and injury avoidance for staff members.

More lately, programs are designed to assist workers to select healthier behaviours like being more physically active or quitting use of tobacco.

Campaigns to raise awareness, educational sessions to raise knowledge, opportunities to learn new skills, and changes to policies to make it easier for workers to make healthy options are often included.

This approach is taken because the workplace is a good way to reach individuals , since most adult American Citizens spend a big part of their day at work.

While safety and lifestyle programs are two aspects that contribute to the health of workers, corporate wellness is more effective when a third factor is brought into the equation-the environment at work.

How the workplace affects health.

Increasingly, it’s recognized that the workplace itself has a powerful affect on individuals ’s health. When individuals  are satisfied with their job, they are more productive and tend to be healthier. When employees feel that the environment at work is negative, they feel stressed.

Stress has a large impact on staff member mental and physical health, and in turn, on productivity.

Consultant Graham Lowe has identified five components of workplace culture that directly affect employees’ health and the health of the organization overall-credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie.

The underlying idea is that companies must genuinely care about the well-being of their employees.

Corporations today who want to attract and keep good employees have leaders who understand the connection between staff member satisfaction and staff member health and believe that corporate wellness is a business strategy.  

Their management practices include making reasonable demands on time and energy, involving employees in decision making, rewarding work well done, openly communicating, and providing support to balance work and home life.

Companys know that employees are looking for jobs that pay well, have good benefits, are interesting, and include great health and safety programs. So in today’s competitive hiring market, it’s become more important than ever for companies to enhance job satisfaction and ensure that employees enjoy being on the job.

Corporate wellness benefits both companys and employees.

How does corporate wellness benefit the company?

A wellness program can help a corporation to –

• attract and keep employees;

• reduce the costs of disability, drugs, and absenteeism;

• reduce the effects of a stressful workplace;

• reduce health costs or keep them contained; and

• improve morale by creating a happy, supportive environment.

How does corporate wellness benefit employees?

Staff Members of corporations that have a wellness program are likely to have –

• increased awareness and knowledge of ways to improve their health;

• a better (less stressful) workplace;

• increased protection from injury;

• improved health and well-being;

• higher morale and greater job satisfaction;

• increased productivity and effectiveness at work;

• reduced personal healthcare costs; and

• a more relaxed/flexible approach to health issues.

Both employers and employees have a responsibility for creating a healthy workplace. Employees are expected to arrive at work in good health, and the employer is expected to provide an environment that authorizes employees to maintain good health, enjoy their work, and contribute to the corporation’s success.

Corporate wellness is more than a “lunch and learn” program. It’s about developing a “individuals  first” approach to doing business.

It’s about taking care of employees, establishing a positive work environment, and paying attention to the factors that keep employees healthy and happy at work.

A good wellness program has an impact on employees’ mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellness.

Ideally, you’ll develop an overall plan for a wellness program before starting to plan specific wellness programs. for example, you can begin by getting the following elements in place –

• support from  senior management

• a wellness committee or team

• information about the wellness needs and interests of employees

• a budget

• program objectives

• an analysis plan

Even if you’ve few financial and/or human resources (HR), you can still take a “micro” approach. for example, you could focus on only one specific issue or problem. Creativity, enthusiasm and planning can help you overcome limitations.

This article will give you some ideas for establishing up wellness programs. Even the smallest steps can have an impact.

Whether you choose to begin with a single program or create something larger, planning is essential. First think about the big picture and then look after the details.

Ask yourself these questions –

• Identify an action. What health-related program will fit the bill and best suit the employees and organization?

• Promote. How can you most effectively get the word out to employees? What are the opportunities for promotion? Consider everything, because staff members have access to and pay attention to different types of messages.

In a typical workplace, employees get information from e-mail, newsletters, bulletins,  brochures, meeting announcements and fellow employees.

• Deliver. Who’s the best person or group to put the program into action? Ask other businesses about approaches they have used. Decide on your budget before making a decision.

• Evaluate. What should you evaluate to determine success? Do you need hard data and/or testimonials from individual participants?

We recommend the following when planning your initiative –

• creating and communicating clear objectives

• targeting your audience

• determining on the type of program or campaign

The Elements of Wellness Programming

Programs to promote wellness in the workplace don’t need to be restricted to a single area. You may think corporate wellness only involves promoting positive personal health, e.g., blood pressure (BP) clinics,  pamphlets on heart illness, “lunch and learn” seminars on consuming habits and short-term physical activity programs.

These activities are important, but corporate wellness should also be part of a corporation’s company strategy and go beyond traditional programming.

Taking a broader approach, the National Quality Institute recently identified three key elements of a healthful workplace –

• physical environment

• social environment and personal resources

• health practices

Specific Program Ideas

Physical Environment

Look after workers’ health and safety and establish regulations to support their health and safety. Consider providing the following –

• Safe bike storage and shower and/or change facilities for cyclists and other commuters.

• Fridges for employees to keep snacks and meals fresh and/or healthy snacks in vending machines and cafeterias.

• Ergonomic assessments.

• Subsidies to help staff members join local recreation centers.

• Classrooms/conference rooms available for booking activities like yoga, pilates, tai chi, meditation and aerobics.

• Safe and pleasant stairwells that invite staff members to use them.

• Investigating the potential for violence at work with plans to deal with such risks.

• Good lighting and sound and air quality.

Social Environment

Human relationships and communication, as well as ways of doing business, can affect an employee’s mental and physical health. Businesses ought to consider the following –

• respectful workplace policies that provide safe worksites

• policies on flex time

• policies on working from home

• worker satisfaction surveys

• leadership coaching

• resiliency training

• staff member assistance programs

To foster a positive social culture or climate, consider employees’ needs, which include –

• being respected

• a sense of belonging, purpose and mission

• freedom of expression

• protection from harassment and discrimination

What you’ve “always done” might not address current worker needs. Ensuring that people  enjoy being at work isn’t an easy task, but making the right changes can have a huge impact.

Health Practices

Offer programs and set policies that help employees remain healthy or improve their health while at work. Consider offering the following –

• “Lunch and learn sessions” on healthful habits such as sleeping better, consuming on the run, healthful snacks, using a pedometer, pole walking, work-life balance, time management, stress management, resiliency, parenting and reading nutrition labels.

• Stop smoking clinics or subsidies to help staff members quit.

• Health risk (assessment|appraisal}s, including fitness assessments.

• Programs to address the issues raised in the health risk (assessment|appraisal}s.

• Healthful snacks served at meetings and conferences.

Personal Corporate Wellness Tips

If there is no wellness program at your worksite, don’t let that stop you from keeping healthful. Perhaps your example will spark a movement toward a healthier workplace.

Here are several ideas to think about –

• be active at work. There are many ways to bring activity into your workday. Walk to work, even when it’s just one way. Hold walking meetings. Bicycle to work. Use the stairs. Walk to a workmate’s office instead of sending an e-mail.

• Eat well at work. Pack a healthy snack and meal. Place a bottle of water at your desk or workstation. Eat breakfast and eat regularly during the day. Take turns bringing a basket of fruit for colleagues’ snacks. Order healthy snacks for meetings.

• Maintain work-life balance. Be sure to work efficiently so you are able to leave on time. Conduct short, effective meetings. Leave your work at work and do not take it home.

Minimize social chit-chat. Make sure to set up your office to enhance your work. Prevent clutter. Plan and prioritize to ensure that the most vital things get done first.

There’s no limit to the number or variety of wellness programs. A key to success is planning well and ensuring that you can evaluate the results so that you can sustain momentum.

Speak to other wellness practitioners to find out what works well for them. Listen to your coworkers to determine their needs and interests. and do not forget to promote, promote, promote.

Many organizations recognize the need for a comprehensive strategy to help their workers be the best they can be.

They also know that successful and sustainable wellness programs are much more than a few “lunch and learn” programs.

Your wellness program should include a wide range of key elements, including –

• A clear agenda or statement of goals.

• A plan characterized by passion.

• an effective leader who’s creative and organized.

• A focus on short-term outcomes combined with an overall vision.

• A measurable strategy (what’s important gets measured!).

• A policy of celebrating and communicating success.

Planning Your Wellness Program

Plan carefully to ensure that your wellness program is seen as part of a wide commitment to maintaining the health and safety of all workers. Yes, creating a good plan takes a lot of effort and time (and sometimes resources).

But planning is essential and well worth the investment required. as the saying goes, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”

You may begin by conducting a recent survey of employee needs and interests. If you take this route, pay attention to the results and plan as a result. If you don’t, the staff members won’t support the program.

Collecting information about what you’re already offering is also a good idea. for example, you may be surprised by your business or corporation’s current wellness and health policies.

Another important step is to establish an agenda and/or measurable goals to help you determine priorities, timelines and the resources required to launch the program. be bold and creative in your planning, but also realistic.

Leadership

The leader of your wellness program must be able to wear many hats. the leader’s duties include –

• Developing a vision of the wellness program after receiving input from all interested workers.

• Communicating ideas and a rationale throughout the organization (to senior managers and fellow workers alike).

• Keeping others enthusiastic about and committed to a wellness program.

• Serving as a role model and wellness coach.

• Developing and maintaining leadership skills like giving effective presentations and being well-organized.

Good leaders avoid becoming overwhelmed by overly ambitious and complex plans. You could want to stick to short-term goals at the beginning so that you get immediate and visible results.

These first steps are the basis for a successful wellness program.

Good leaders involve as many people  as possible in the program. for  instance, you’ll want to form a committee made up of a diverse group of staff members to provide advice during the planning phase. This approach will –

• Be certain to help you to obtain valuable information from all parts of the company.

• Develop ambassadors who’ll help you implement the wellness program.

Keeping Score and Celebrating

Always rememberhow you will monitor progress and evaluate the success of your wellness program. Investigation authorizes you to –

• Identify areas of excellence.

• Identify factors that affect participation in your programs.

• Gain management’s support for your efforts (and maintain that support).

• Better understand issues that need attention.

• Learn from mistakes and change the program to keep it on the right track.

When you evaluate your program, you are able to measure such things as –

• Worker absences.

• Worker turnover rates.

• the cost of your staff member assistance program.

• the cost of benefits, including short-term and long-term disability payments.

• the cost of your drug plan.

• Accident rates and safety records.

• Employees’ participation in wellness programs (and whether they’re staying in the programs).

• Changes in employees’ health habits.

• Level of employees’ awareness of healthful lifestyle issues.

• Results of your environmental wellness audit.

• Other noticeable changes in areas such as morale and job satisfaction.

A good communications plan provides ongoing information to employees (including senior level managers) and fosters excitement about the wellness program.

Positive reinforcement is part of an effective communications plan. for  instance, you might recognize individuals  who have helped set up the program or offer tangible rewards for achieving goals.

Everybody needs to know whether staff members are getting involved, enjoying the activities and getting some benefit from them. Showing that a wellness program has financial benefits is often an important factor in maintaining strong support from the top.

When you pay attention to the key elements of your wellness program and communicate openly and continuously while planning and delivering it, you will lay a solid foundation and leave a legacy that lasts.

How does exercise fit into a full-time employee’s busy schedule? Often, it doesn’t.

One possible solution to this challenge is to make exercise a part of the work day. Clearly, being active at work is advantageous for staff members.

But companys also benefit from having fit, energetic and healthful employees who are more productive.

The challenges

Your job takes up a lot of your time. In addition to the hours you spend actually working, there is the time required to get to and from work and take lunch and rest breaks during the work day.

In the end, there are a not many hours left over for the rest of your life. This work life imbalance is especially true for Alberta, where statistics show that we work exceptionally hard.

A lot of jobs today are sedentary, and many Americans drive to work. the pressures of work may also cause us to eat lunch at our desks and skip breaks.

Then, after work or on the weekends we juggle household chores, family responsibilities and social engagements.

Wellness Programs –  Get started on a workplace fitness program

Management plays a key role in creating a culture that promotes health. the leaders at your workplace influence the various policies and the informal or formal practices, and these policies and practices affect your attitude towards healthy active living.

Begin by talking to your boss about the benefits of a healthful active workplace. the best way to ensure the success of a workplace fitness program is to have the management on side and cheering you on.

Ask your boss to consider taking these actions –

• Send a memo or message about the importance of health and healthful living that encourages staff to take an active break each day.

• Give for flexible work hours that help staff to be more physically active. for  instance, they might need to take a longer lunch break to attend an exercise class, making up the time by coming to work early or staying late.

• Make available a meeting room or other suitable office space for noon-hour yoga or exercise classes, and hire a teacher to lead them, or use videos.

When your boss agrees to support a workplace fitness program, do not forget to say thanks.

You do not need an onsite gym

Only very big businesses can afford on-site fitness facilities like exercise equipment or squash courts. Still, most businesss can take other inexpensive steps to support employees who wish to become more active.

For example –

• Arrange for discounted fees for staff members at a health club, recreation centeror YMCA facility.

• Install showers and a place to hang a towel. (Make sure the showers are cleaned regularly and that women who use them will feel secure.)

• Install bicycle racks or a locked enclosure that is safe, conveniently located and well lighted.

• Hold walking meetings and set up lunch-hour walking groups

• Make staff members aware of safe and pleasant walking routes near the workplace, in addition to nearby facilities that offer fitness programs (such as walking, swimming, running, yoga, stretching).

• Hire a qualified instructor to teach staff about health, fitness and how to become more active.

Any size and kind of workplace can support staff members who wish to be physically active. It’s highly desirable to get management on side.

Even if your boss is not supportive, you can still find ways to get moving more. Be sure to set up activities for groups and individuals, and encourage your coworkers to join in.

We all know that physical activity is an important part of health and well-being. But sometimes it’s hard to find time for physical activity.

Lack of time is the number one barrier that people  say prevents them from participating in exercise on a regular basis.

The good news is that even short sessions of physical activity help your health. Research has shown that 10-minute sessions that add up to between 30 and 60 minutes a day can produce meaningful health benefits.

Additionally, there are numerous ways busy people  can use to be more active. These strategies include –

• multi-tasking

• being active at work

• being active with loved ones

• scheduling activity into daily life

Different strategies work for different individuals . Being familiar with the different strategies is key to adopting and maintaining an active lifestyle.

Read on to check out strategies you can try. With enough commitment, some of them are sure to work for you.

Strategy #1 –  Multi-tasking

The first strategy you can try is multi-tasking. This means doing things you already do, but in a more physically active way.

This way you get done what you need to get done and you get exercise at the same time.

For example, you’re already travelling to work and other places. Instead of taking the car or the bus every time, attempt using active methods of transportation like biking, roller skating, walking and skateboarding.

If you can’t use active transportation for a whole trip, try to be active for at least part of the trip. If you’re riding the bus, for instance, get off a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way.

Active transportation benefits your body by increasing your activity level, and it also benefits your neighbourhood and the environment by lowering the number of cars on the road.

You can also get physical activity while doing housework and chores.

When you are working around home, try to be creative and look for the active option. for  instance, if you are cleaning the crack between the fridge and the counter, why not move the fridge so you are able to clean the area better and build your strength at the same time?

For outdoor work, opt for the old-fashioned way of doing things, as they’re ordinarily more active. for  instance, use a snow shovel rather than a snow blower.

Strategy #2 –  be Active at Work

Many American Citizens spend eight hours a day or more working at a sedentary job. Here are several simple ways to keep your body moving during the workday.

The physical activity will revitalize you and help you be more productive.

When you’re working at your desk, try sitting on a stability ball or disk for part of your day (30 minutes to an hour). This gives your back and abs a workout.

Take active breaks at least once a day. During your coffee break, attempt doing some yoga, stretching or taking a quick walk.

You might find that walking up and down the stairs a few times does a better job of rejuvenating you than the java jolt.

Speaking of the stairs, take them instead of the elevator whenever you can. the stairs in your building are an opportunity to get your heart pumping.

Organize walking meetings at work. Getting outside and having meetings in a less formal setting is a great way to be active, makes the workday more fun and encourages creative ideas for work projects.

Strategy #3 –  be Active With Your Loved Ones

Do physical activity with your family, friends, neighbours and pets. With this strategy, you and your loved ones are doing some excellent multi-tasking together –  enjoying quality time with each other and getting some physical activity that you all need to be healthy.

Go for walks, swims or bicycle rides together. Play Frisbee, soccer and other games and sports together. When you take your children to the park, play with them in lieu of just watching them play.

A lot of community facilities offer classes that keep you and your kids active at the same time. Research these classes and take one or two.

You can even be active when you are watching your children do activities without you. for  instance, when your child plays hockey, take the opportunity to walk up and down the stairs in the stands several times.

If you feel self-conscious about doing it alone, why not gather a group of parents to do it together?

Strategy #4 –  Schedule Physical Activity into Your Day

Schedule your physical activity directly into your daytimer. Be certain to set a specific time and place for exercising. Make your physical activity appointments a priority, just as important as any other appointment you put in your daytimer.

To help you stay committed to your exercise appointments, you may want to make appointments that involve other people  -  like by meeting with a fitness trainer, taking an exercise class or jogging with a friend.

If you are not sure how many appointments to make or what you should be doing during your appointments, try consulting with a personal trainer. A personal trainer can help you create a physical activity plan and schedule.

The bottom line –  figure out what works best for you. Experiment with the strategies. Find inspiration by talking to other people  about how they keep active and what strategies they use.

Be creative and patient while you figure out what strategies work best for you. and be aware that your “best strategy” may change from time to time.

With enough effort, you will discover what works for you. Then, run with it!

• Commit to workplace exercise in policy statements and commit funding to exercise initiatives.

• Obviously communicating the benefits of being physically active during the workday reinforces the corporation’s commitment to helping all workers be active.

Use meetings, bulletin boards, newsletters and e-mail to reach as many employees as possible at least once a year.

• Offer flex time for exercise. Invite employees who actively commute to work or exercise during lunch to make up any missed time later in the day.

• Allow staff to work part time, so that they can participate in exercise.

• Include a physical activity 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 bikes or good walking shoes/runners.

• Conduct periodic surveys of staff exercise preferences, and offer a selection of choices to suit those interests and needs.

• Hire qualified people  to lead stretch breaks or exercise programs or classes. for help in locating accredited fitness leaders, visit Alberta’s Provincial Fitness Unit.

• Recognize workers who participate in physical activity. Survey workers 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.

• Prevent scheduling meetings over lunch.

• Be sure to encourage active breaks instead of coffee breaks.

• Have active fundraisers rather than bingos. for 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 select an activity. Options could include a session with a yoga teacher or an evening ski trip.

• Promote a casual dress day. One study found that staff members who dress casually were more physically active.

• Make sure that your building’s stairwells are clean, attractive and safe, and post signs encouraging workers to use the stairs.

• Establish a wellness newsletter or intranet.

• Promote the Activity Tracker and encourage employees to track their exercise every week.

• be creative, and make the most of the workspace you have. for example, mark off a safe walking path inside or around the building.

You may also set up a training circuit, highlighting features of the worksite like stairs.

• Offer physical activity opportunities at different times to accommodate night-, shift-, and part-time staff members.

• for workers in remote or satellite offices, offer equal access to key programs via the intranet. Adapt challenges to suit their environment and take advantage of local facilities and resources.

• Make physical activity available to workers with special needs. Adapt information and activities for any staff who are visually impaired or physically disabled as well as for people  who speak English as a second language.

• Educate workers about physical activity using information from reputable sources such as the Alberta Center for Active Living.

• Offer facilities that invite on-site physical activity. Possibilities include bike racks, an exercise room, change rooms with lockers and showers, and safe and attractive grounds for walking.

• Hold walking meetings.

• Be certain to encourage workers to walk to peers’ offices in lieu of e-mailing or phoning.

• Be certain to set up a stretching room. This low-cost initiative requires only a room, stretching mats, stability balls and medicine balls. Put up posters that show stretches and exercises.

• Give incentives such as shoe bags, ball caps, T-shirts or water bottles to reward staff participation.

• Loan out pedometers for three months, so that workers can find out how many steps they typically take and how much activity they need to add to get basic health benefits.

• Make space for employees to plant and maintain a flowerbed or garden at the workplace. Use any resulting produce for meetings and potluck lunches or donate it to charity.

• Plan a workplace wellness fair.

• Hire a qualified fitness expert to design and manage an on-site workout facility.

• Supply employees with active wear that shows off the corporation logo.