Corporate fitness

Poor health is an expensive burden on our economy and one of the ways companies

can combat a growing trend of obesity and absenteeism is with corporate fitness and

well-being.

Implementing health into a given business model does not need to be costly

because of the tailored planning and ongoing feedback which ensure effectiveness

and a real return on any investment made.

Main article

Corporate fitness and well-being are increasingly important in a society that is

experiencing rising obesity levels, an ageing population and an inclination to work

long hours. The economic downturn which the UK appears to be recovering from has

had a big impact on job security and this uncertainty is increasing employees’ stress

levels. Compounding this is the rising living costs and the spread of a no-bonus

culture.

As well as the financial costs, unhealthy lifestyles – and not properly managing the

pressures of work-demands – pose a real threat to people’s quality of life and ability

to perform well in their work and social lives. For businesses, an investment in

corporate health helps ensure employees stay well, motivated and loyal. And there

are diverse strategies which can be incorporated into every business model, from

one-man freelancers to large corporations.

How necessary are corporate fitness and well-being?

In order to be termed a “good employer”, businesses need to do more than just tick a

box when it comes to corporate health – they need to implement some real

strategies that deliver tangible results. Costs wise, the active rather than inactive

(proactive rather than reactive) approach actually saves companies money in the

long-term because of less absence and more productive staff.

The two schools of thought with regard to corporate well-being are the wellness and

well-being theories. Wellness is the insurance approach which commences when

there’s a problem; well-being is about taking action today, introducing solutions that

will have a positive affect on the morale and health of employees, and prevent likely

problems arising in the future.

Businesses have a responsibility to look after staff – and that includes providing

opportunities for, and access to, health advice and support. Responsibilities aside,

businesses should want to offer staff well-being initiatives because they have been

proven to enhance morale, motivation, productivity and, ultimately, the company’s

bottom line.

The National Audit Office estimates that obesity costs England around 18 million lost

working days a year. Obesity has health and mental well-being implications, and can

be associated with illness, depression, tiredness and a lack of motivation. Corporate

fitness and well-being encompass exercise, healthy eating and nutrition, education,

training and support.

The link between corporate fitness and well-being investment and profitable

companies has been proven – you need only look at the Times 100 Companies, as

approximately 85% of these businesses have a corporate fitness scheme. These

companies adopt the well-being approach, instead of the wellness approach.

How to incorporate

It is easy to excuse implementing corporate well-being initiatives by saying you’ll just

pay for what is necessary, if and when. However, focusing on the direct ROI (return

on investment) is short-term and many of the negative implications are not directly

felt or monitored – increased staff sickness, reduced man power, reduced work

productivity, higher stress levels, reduced morale, higher turnover, higher HR costs

and more.

The Government is aware of the huge impact poor health has on businesses. From

April 2010, “fit notes” will begin to replace the traditional “sick notes”. The aim of this

programme is to cut the number of long-term sick from 2.6 million to 1.6 million by

2015, and to flip the mentality from “I’m ill and can’t work” to “I’m ill but there’s still a

way I can do some work”. The Government believes the scheme has the potential to

save the economy £41 and £137 million each year. (You can read more about the

scheme, here.)

Employees run your business and are your business – without them, you wouldn’t

have a business. They are as important as your external customers, only more so as

you cannot have one without the other. But just like your business, your employees

are unique. Trying to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to your health and well-being

initiatives will fail – and most likely because staff simply won’t adopt the programme.

Successful corporate fitness programmes are tailor-made and meet your needs,

including budget.

Speak and bespoke

Before considering introducing any programmes or changes into your business,

make sure you speak to your staff. Feedback is important in establishing what

people want, what they feel they are missing, what’s important to them etc. Working

with them will give them a sense of involvement from the outset and maximise the

potential uptake when the programme is incorporated.

Once you have your feedback, prioritise it according to your business needs, goals

and budget. You need to decide what is important and what can realistically be

achieved.

At this stage, it is advisable to contact corporate health and well-being professionals

to help you create your plan. Corporate fitness companies have the experience and

knowledge to transform your ideas into realistic, effective and affordable initiatives.

Creating a fitness and well-being programme