Behavior Change and Health News
Physical Activity at Work Means More Productive Employees
According to new research, being physically active during the workday helps employees improve productivity, manage time, and be more forgiving of colleagues. A study presented in June at the 52nd American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting found consistent and significant improvements in these areas on days when workers participated in on-site physical activity programs.
The study, conducted at the University of Bristol, England, involved 210 workers who completed questionnaires about their job performance and mood on days when they exercised at work and on days when they didn’t. Most workers had sedentary jobs, and they could choose any physical activity they wanted. Most spent time at lunch doing yoga, aerobics, strength training, or a pick-up game of basketball.
But any type of physical activity helped. “We could find no difference according to length of exercise or duration or intensity,” says Jim McKenna, lead researcher for the project. “You still got the effect no matter what you did.”
On average, employees reported a performance boost of about 15% on days they were active. And 6 out of 10 said their time-management skills, mental performance, and ability to meet deadlines improved when they exercised during the day.
“The results are striking,” says McKenna. “We weren’t expecting such a strong improvement in productivity that’s linked to exercise. Participants tracked mood, and as expected, exercising enhanced their mood. However, boosts in productivity were over and above the effects on mood; it’s the exercise—or attitude related to exercise—that affects productivity.”
Getting employees moving during the workday not only improves the health and well-being of the individual employee, but it benefits the company as well. McKenna explains, “The workplace is an ideal setting for promoting physical activity. Companies see more productive employees who also work better together. From the public health side, health care costs can be expected to go down for employees who regularly exercise at work. Think of it: fewer sick days, better attendance, and more tolerant co-worker relations.”
Active Living Partners creates behavior change programs that address poor health habits such as physical inactivity and unbalanced eating. Worksites can offer our Active Living Every Day and Healthy Eating Every Day programs on site or online to help employees adopt and maintain healthy habits. For more information, please click here or call 800-747-4457 ext 2522.
Sources
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). June 3, 2005. Study: Workers more productive after exercise. Press release. www.acsm.org
McKenna J. & Coulson J. (In press). How does exercising at work influence work performance? A randomised cross-over trial. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 37:5 (suppt).
Stenson, Jacqueline. 2005. Exercise may make you a better worker. www.msnbc.msn.com Accessed June 21, 2005.
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