Data from PureGym’s 2023/24 UK Fitness Report showed that two in five people (41%) are too tired after work to exercise, while a third (34%) say their job doesn’t leave them enough time to exercise.
The report also revealed that a quarter of the population has increased their spending on exercise within the last year, with many saying this is down to health and fitness becoming a bigger passion of theirs.
The same report from last year found that almost 80% of the population prioritised their health more than they did pre-pandemic.
So, with health and fitness being more of a focus for people, there’s more pressure than ever for employers and commercial landlords to ensure office design and fit out supports these wellness goals.
In this blog post, we explore what wellness really entails and what you can do to make sure your workspace is a help rather than a hindrance for health-motivated space users.
The new wellness-motivated workforce
When thinking about supporting health and fitness in the workplace, it’s important to realise that wellness goes way beyond physical exercise.
According to PureGym’s report, these are the top 10 factors that the UK population believe contribute to living a healthy lifestyle:
- Eating fruit and veg every day (52%)
- Feeling happy (48%)
- Drinking a lot of water each day (47%)
- Being able to walk up the stairs without getting out of breath (45%)
- Sleeping for 8 hours each night (44%)
- Not being stressed (42%)
- Not eating ‘junk food’ (32%)
- Being able to get up from a seated position with ease (32%)
- Having a ‘slim’ build (19%)
- Getting out of bed early (17%)
People are now taking a more holistic approach to personal health, realising that wellness has benefits beyond traditional goals such as weight loss.
From PureGym’s survey, 31% feel exercise improves their mood, while more than a quarter report it helps them feel stressed.
There’s also a major business case for supporting employee fitness and wellbeing in light of recent ONS figures showing that a decline in health is set to cost the UK economy £66 billion by 2030.
So, what can business owners be doing to support the healthier lifestyles their staff have a desire to lead? Let’s explore…
Introduce an office gym
According to PureGym’s research, 56% of people say their job stops or holds them back from exercising and keeping fit. One way you can help employees start and maintain healthier lifestyle habits is by making exercise more accessible.
If you’ve got the space and budget, you could consider incorporating an on-site office gym. That way, employees can exercise before, during or after work far easier.
If you’re concerned about cost, an office gym doesn’t need to be a fully kitted-out space with expensive equipment. It can just be a small studio space that employees can use to do yoga, pilates or circuit workouts, for example.
The best part about implementing something more simple without dedicated equipment is that the space can also be multi-functional. A studio space can also double up as a networking event hosting space, for example.
Multi-functional, ergonomic furniture
According to PureGym’s research, over half of the population (51%) say their job causes back pain. The number of those who suffer from work-related back pain is nearly twice as high among those who don’t go to the gym compared to those who do (66% vs 38%).
A human-first approach to office design and furniture fit out (e.g. sit-stand desks and furniture on castor wheels) can help eliminate things like back pain, other musculoskeletal problems, decreased blood flow, cardiovascular issues, headaches, eye strain and weight gain.
This is because ergonomic workspaces give space users more opportunities to move throughout the day and adopt a variety of different postures. Not only does this encourage a less sedentary working day, but it also helps tackle other physical health-related issues like ‘tech neck’.
Read more about how ergonomic office design can improve health in the workplace >>
Cultural changes to make choosing wellness the norm
As well as thinking about how you can gear your physical space up to promote better health and fitness habits, it’s also worth checking in with the cultural side of your business.
Are there any ways you could make positive change, not just through furniture and fit out? Here are some simple and common examples to get you inspired.
Flexible working hours
If you have a small office or if you’re not looking to transform your workspace at the moment, flexible working hours are a great way to make exercise around work more viable. Introducing a more flexible approach to when and where people work means there is more time and incentive to go to the gym, join a fitness class or simply dedicate more time to getting steps up.
Meetings on the move
Another way to inspire and support employee health and fitness is to facilitate and encourage more walking or standing meetings. Take more meetings on the move to get your steps in while you work and provide touchdown, standing-level tables in the office to allow people to stand for shorter meetings or impromptu conversations.
Not only will this help improve physical health, but it will also boost mental wellbeing and cognitive function as well as reduce stress and fatigue. As a result, you will nurture a more focused, engaged and productive workforce.
Wellness-related social activities
Social capital is an important part of fostering a sense of community and belonging in the workplace—but socialising with colleagues doesn’t always have to mean drinks at the pub or pizzas on a Friday.
One way to support better health and fitness choices amongst employees is to arrange more social events and team-building activities based around wellness. This could be something as simple as organising a group hike or arranging a puppy yoga class—however your staff would enjoy bonding most.
Gym membership as a ‘work perk’
When considering your employee benefits package, you could introduce a free gym membership as a work perk. For many people, the cost of a gym membership is what hinders healthy lifestyle habits, so access to a gym membership through work could be pretty transformative for some staff.
Would you like to incorporate fitness facilities into your working environment? Get in touch with our experts to learn more about how we can support your project.
