Exercise is an integral part of our well-being and the Department of Health states we should be doing 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise five times a week plus strength training on at least two of those days. Jenny Deeming, from The Physiotherapy Centre at Holy Cross Hospital, says with 40% of absence from work being due to musculoskeletal injuries we would be foolish not to invest in the health and fitness of our employees, thus reducing sick leave and boosting performance at work.
The UK population is staying in work for longer than ever before with pension ages increasing. As we age we are likely to develop long-term health conditions that we need to manage whilst we work. The workplace now needs to support people so that their ability to contribute is sustainable.
Injured employees are now benefitting from schemes that allow easy access to local physiotherapy practices or having an in-house physiotherapist. These have been proven to return employees to work quickly, with benefits to the individual, workplace and the economy.
We all know exercise is good for us but fitting it in at the end of a busy day can be the last thing you feel like doing. However, incorporating exercise into our working day is an approach that is becoming increasingly more popular. Richard Branson and Mark Zuckerburg are advocates of ‘walking meetings’, and lunchtime exercise classes such as Pilates, yoga and Zumba are becoming more common within the workplace.
It is important to recognise that exercise isn’t a one size fits all approach. By engaging your staff rather than imposing exercise, you will help to provide a sense of camaraderie and interaction between co-workers in an environment that isn’t work related.
Here at The Physiotherapy Centre we have a state of the art gym which is available for use by all our staff members, and our annual ‘Workout at Work’ week is a fun and informal way of getting involved in exercise.
By improving the fitness of your staff, you will ultimately have happier, healthier and more productive employees.
Jenny Deeming is a musculoskeletal physiotherapist at The Physiotherapy Centre at Holy Cross Hospital. She has a BSc Physiotherapy degree and has completed a year’s post graduate Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP) level training in musculoskeletal physiotherapy.
Book your ticket to hear Jenny speak more about exercise at work at the Chamber’s Wellness@Work event on Thursday 22 February at Holy Cross Hospital.