A Gym at the Office: Why Fitness Training is Crucial for Employer

The growth and productivity of an organization highly depend on its workforce. In other words, employees are the strength and backbone of an organization. Employers want their employees to work efficiently, effectively, and give their best at the workplace. This can be achieved by encouraging and motivating employees to give their maximum output.

A simple and easy way to encourage employees to give their best for the organization is to show then that you care. Employees work harder and feel more connected to the organization if they know that their employer thinks about them.

An easy way to show that you care is by taking steps to keep your employees safe and healthy. You can start this by starting a fitness training program.

Let's Look Why Fitness Training is Crucial for Employers

If you are thinking about whether launching a fitness training program for your employees is worth your efforts or not, think again. Sitting on the same office chair for long hours may result in many back and spine related issues. Working for long hours, the stress of approaching deadlines, etc. can make employees physically and mentally exhausted. Also, many times, employees feel exhausted, face difficulty in focussing on their work, and in extreme cases, face difficulty in sleeping.

Well, these are the signs of overworking. Working hard to achieve organizational goals is good, but it should not be done at the expense of your employee's health. Regular fitness training would keep your employees fit physically, as well as mentally.

Benefits of having an in-house gym and a fitness training program in the workplace

Employees Who Are Fit Make Good Leaders

Exercise enhances various leadership qualities like confidence, discipline, etc. in individuals. As a result, employees undergoing fitness training program can become good leaders. They not only push themselves to attain new goals but also motivate other employees.

Many times, fitness programs also help employers to discover their employee's strengths and hidden talents. You might identify confident employees, problem solvers, and ready to change new challenges — qualities that make a person a good leader.

Reduces Stress

Pending job tasks, approaching targets, superior pressure, etc. at the workplace might result in stress, anxiety, and depression among employees. Tension and stress have a great impact on an employee's overall productivity. In addition to this, stressed and depressed employees tend to take more leaves. Absenteeism has always been a major point of concern for organizations.

Studies have shown that regular exercise helps in reducing stress. Exercise increases the heart rate, which further increases the blood circulation in the body. In addition to this, exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, which reduces stress and enhances mood. Reduced level of stress brings positivity in employees. As a result, they become more focused, which further increases their productivity level.

Reduce Absenteeism

Healthier employees are less likely to avail of sick leaves. Most of the sick leaves are reported at the last minute. This further creates a problem for the organization. Finding a last-minute replacement is not that easy. Absenteeism affects the overall productivity of the organization.

Absenteeism at the workplace generally refers to employees who have taken leave. But the term can also be used for employees who are present physically in the office but are mentally absent. Such employees fail to give their 100% as far as productivity is concerned.

The fitness training program in the workplace keeps the employees fit and healthy. Regular exercise would make the employee physically and mentally healthy. The chances of fit employees getting sick would be lesser as compared to those who don't exercise. This way, the organization can lower its absenteeism rate.

Employees who are performing desk jobs tend to develop back-related issues in the long run. In the past few years, employees taking sick leave due to back ailments have become quite common. Hence, by introducing fitness programs focussing on muscle strengthening, you can help your employees in reducing the chances of back-related problems. Fitness training for your employees is worth your time and effort, as it would reduce absenteeism, which would eventually help you in increasing your organization's productivity.

Employee retention

There is always a crunch of good, talented, hard-working, and experienced employees. Such employees are true assets of the company. Competitors look for the opportunity to attract your priceless assets. Employee retention has become a major cause of concern for organizations.

A gym at the workplace and a fitness program for employees would be a perk for your staff. Your employees would realize that ‘you care.' This would deepen the bond between you and your employees. In addition to this, your employees would think twice before leaving the job as the fear of losing a caring employer and also the benefits provided by the company.

Regular exercise would improve your employee's mental and physical health. This would help them in enhancing their performance at the workplace. Employees would feel more satisfied with their job. Chances of a satisfied employee leaving a job are quite lesser.

Increase Brain Power

Studies have shown that regular exercise enhances brain activities. Exercise not only helps individuals in becoming physically fit but also makes their brain sharper. Studies have shown that individuals doing regular exercise can carry executive functions more effectively and efficiently.

Exercise stimulates the production of chemicals in the brain, which is essential for performing brain functions like multi-tasking, memory, and problem-solving. Improved memory and multi-tasking would increase the overall productivity of your employees. Smarter and sharper employees would be more productive as they would be able to perform a given task in lesser time.

To Promote Teamwork

In any workplace, every employee is a part of one or another team. Be it sales, marketing, or any other department has a goal or a target to achieve. It can be achieved only through teamwork. An organization where employees work together and put their effort towards achieving their team goals has higher chances of achieving its targets. Teamwork is all about placing team goals above the individual's goal. Fact is if you get succeed in achieving your team targets, some way or another your individual goals (individual targets, bonus, hike in pay, etc.) would also be achieved.

For teamwork, understanding, trust, and bonding among team members are very important. To know each other, team members need to spend some time together. To spend time, what could be better than fitness programs. Social support is one of the major parts of the fitness training program. Employees can appreciate each other's efforts and motivate them to achieve their fitness goals.

Group exercises teach employees the importance of teamwork and cooperation. These qualities do not get restricted to fitness programs; employees feel more connected and imbibe these qualities at their workplace also. This further helps in creating a healthier and positive atmosphere in the workplace.

The gym at your workplace would can as a place where your employees can undergo fitness training programs and can have informal chats. You can make groups within the same or different departments. This way, they can discuss their ongoing projects during their workout sessions. They can go for group exercises as it would enhance team spirit and keep them motivated.

Exercise Inspire Confidence in Others

Employees with fit mind and body tend to be more confident. Employees would set a fitness target and try their best to achieve it. Once that target is achieved, they would next target at a higher level. With every achievement, their confidence level will keep on increasing. Confident employees would have higher chances of achieving their official goals as they don't give up easily.

Reduces Health Care Cost

Many organizations provide health care benefits to their employees. By providing a gym in the workplace along with fitness programs, employers can reduce their overall cost, which they tend to spend while settling their employees' insurance claims.

Exercise not only helps in reducing weight but also strengthens bones, muscles, and joints. Regular exercise increases body immunity. Regular exercise also helps in preventing diabetes and heart diseases. This would reduce the chances of employees getting sick. Hence would save the organization from spending money on settling doctor bills.

Conclusion

Today, organizations try their best to increase profits and reducing their overall cost. Hence, having an onsite gym may not be on your priority list. But if you think practically, having a gym and fitness program for your employees would turn out to be very profitable in the long run.

Demanding jobs make employee spend most of their time in the office. By the time they reach their homes, either it’s too late or they are so tired that hitting a gym is no longer an option for them. Lack of physical activity can hamper your employee's health. Having a gym at the workplace would give your employees a reason to stay fit.

If you already have an on-site gym, motivate your employees to use it. Have fitness training sessions for your employees, which aims at improving their physical and mental health.

In case you don't have an onsite gym, you can ask your employees if they would like to have one. If yes, order gym equipment and give another reason for your employees to work harder for the organization.