Motivating Staff to be Physically Active

For general health benefit, adults should achieve at least 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity on 5 or more days a week. Moderate intensity activity is, for example, cycling, swimming or brisk walking. This 30 minutes of physical activity can be achieved either by doing all the activity in one session, or through several bouts of activity of 10 minutes or more.

Employees who are physically active report less illness and recover more quickly from the illnesses they do get. They also report improved concentration and mental alertness as well as improved cooperation with colleagues. Being more physically active helps people to manage stress, back pain, weight and medical conditions.

• Run a pedometer challenge to see who completes the most steps in a day.

• Have a different focus each week, e.g. arrive by foot week, after 5’s club, lunchtime fun and games.

• Reduce email time – encourage face-to-face contact.

• Set up a work sports team to participate in local sports leagues – see the Have a Go poster.

• Set up an inter-department game, or challenge another workplace.

• Offer flexible working hours so staff can fit activity into their day.

• Train for an event as your goal - exercise with a buddy.

• Encourage walk and talk meetings instead of sit-down meetings.

• Organise a regular lunchtime walking group.

• Contact a local activity provider or gym to see if they will come and run sessions such as pilates, tai chi, aerobics or zumba at your workplace.

• Organise a weekend picnic and bike ride, or bush walk that includes families.

• Set up a walking track around your workplace and encourage staff to see how many laps they can do in 10 minutes. Create a leader board.

• Encourage staff to take recommended breaks and encourage them to be active during breaks.

• Set up a stair challenge and encourage staff to record how many times they use the stairs in a day.

• Hire some exercise equipment (rowing machine or cycle) and have a weekly competition. Encourage staff to record how many kms they do each day.

• Encourage staff to be active outside work. Provide them with information about how to access local sport and activity groups.

  
  

• Supply a fruit bowl in your staff eating area during the challenge.

• Ask staff to bring a fruit or vegetable recipe to work and share it around.

• Encourage staff to share any excess fruit or vegetables from their garden with their workmates.

• Hold a soup or salad lunchtime challenge with staff voting on the best dish.

• Invite a dietician or nutritionist to speak to staff. Sport Canterbury can provide contact details.

  
  

• Encourage staff to take photos of their activities and send them to [email protected] for publication in the Sea2Sea newsletter, and put them up on the wall at work.
  

• Encourage staff to like the “Sea2Sea South Canterbury” Facebook page and they are welcome to contribute.
  

• Organise an activity or fun outing for staff in the final week of the challenge to keep them motivated to the end.

• Phone your local media organisation and let them know about what you are doing.