Workplaces provide a range of opportunities to encourage and support healthy and active lifestyles and to develop a culture that encourages participation in physical activity.

It is important for employers to encourage workers to be healthy and active because most workers spend eight or more hours a day at work, five days a week. Over a lifetime that adds up to a staggering 86,760 hours compared to 20,000 hours spent on leisure activities Health Works Corporate (http://www.healthworks.com.au/).

Management and senior management play an important role in encouraging staff to adopt a physically active lifestyle and can play a crucial role in developing positive attitudes and behaviours towards physical activity in the workplace.

Workplace physical activity initiatives provide a range of opportunities and benefits for employees, employers and the broader community.

How to get active in your workplace

Finding ways to include physical activity during the workday is the most practical way for many adults to become more active. Most adults spend half their waking hours at work and for a large number of people these hours can be sedentary.

The solution, of course, is activity and it doesn’t need to be strenuous.  A daily walk is enough to make a healthy difference. The benefits of keeping active when you are working are huge. It helps you relax and sleep better by relieving stress and tension. It builds up stamina and improves concentration. And socially, it’s the perfect way to make new friends or keep in touch with old ones.

Here are lots of ways to get more staying power in your day:

1. Meet friends for a walk. Organise short walks with colleagues in your lunch break, or after work.
2. Park the car. Leave the car at home or park 10-15 minutes away from your workplace.
3. Walk to meetings. Schedule meetings at places you can walk to.
4. Get off the bus. Use public transport and get off a stop early.
5. Organise a team. Get your work colleagues involved in a social team sport roster, such as mixed netball, indoor soccer, summer hockey or indoor cricket.
6. Walk there. Walk to meet friends for lunch.
7. Use the stairs. Take the stairs instead of the lift or elevator.
8. Stretch. In consultation with your doctor, try regular stretching routines.
9. Use a fitball. Swap your office chair for a fit-ball.
10. Talk to colleagues.  Consider whether you can get up and talk to your colleagues rather than sending an email.

(Content reproduced with permission from the Victorian Government's 'Go for your life' initiative)

Click here for a printable PDF version of tips on how to get moving in your workplace.

Steps Challenge

2007 Workplace Safe Awards

Have you recently implemented a Health and Wellbeing Program into your workplace?  If so, have you considered entering the 2007 Workplace Safe Awards?  The Premier's Physical Activity Council proudly supports the Best Workplace Health and Wellbeing Program category in these awards. 

This award is a proactive award and recognises an organisation that has developed and implemented the best workplace health and wellbeing program.  It is promoted on the premise that a fit and healthy employee is a more productive and happy employee.

For information and an entry form go the Workplace Safe website at http://www.workcover.tas.gov.au/workcoverpublish/node/wpsworkplace-1.htm

Here are some other useful physical activity links for the workplace

Alberta Centre for Active Living

Fit physical activity into the workplace

Healthy Business: Healthy Toolbox

Physical activity in the workplace

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