Investing in your team’s physical health doesn’t just benefit your employees—it can transform your entire organization.
Energized employees are more productive, creative, and engaged, all contributing to your company’s success.
When you prioritize physical wellbeing, you help employees stay healthy, lower stress levels, reduce the risk of illness, and boost energy. It’s a win for both individuals and the business.
Questions for L&D Leaders
- What steps have we taken to build a culture of physical wellness within the organization?
- How do our current sick day statistics look? Can we plan to track and compare them six months from now?
- Do we regularly seek feedback from employees on their physical wellness needs and preferences?
"Employees who are physically active have lower healthcare costs, require less sick leave, and are more productive at work. Specifically . . . employees who get at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week miss an average of 4.1 fewer days of work per year.”
— Workplace Health Research Network
Steps to boost physical fitness at work
Step 1: Survey your team
Start by gathering feedback through surveys to understand employee needs and wellness interests.
Step 2: Get things moving by promoting movement
Encourage physical activity throughout the day with walking meetings, stretch breaks, or stand-up gatherings. Train managers to support movement—even a 15-minute walk can boost brain power!
Step 3: Build on what you already have
Enhance your existing workspace by making it more activity-friendly. Think walkable paths, stretch zones, refillable water stations, and healthier food options.
Step 4: Educate and inspire
Offer workshops, book clubs, or OpenSesame online training courses on the benefits of movement, nutrition, and good sleep habits. Help employees understand why wellness matters.
Step 5: Let employees set personal goals
Encourage everyone to set individual wellness goals that are achievable and meaningful to them. (Pro tip: Check out the CDC’s physical activity guidelines for ideas!)
Step 6: Monitor and always be improving
Use surveys, feedback, and team discussions to track progress and identify areas for improvement. Monitoring helps ensure your program is working and continuously evolving.
Ideas for workplace physical wellness incentives
- Insurance premium discounts: Reward employees who participate in health assessments and biometric screenings or maintain certain health metrics.
- Fitness reimbursements and subsidies
- Wellness challenges with prizes: Weekly Healthy Habit Tracker or wellness challenges with prizes such as gift cards, extra vacation days, or wellness-related products.
- Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions
- Paid Time Off (PTO) for health activities
- Healthy meals and snack options: Make it easy to make good choices. Subsidize or provide free healthy meal options in the company cafeteria or snack rooms.
- On-site wellness services: Free or discounted access to yoga, massage, or mindfulness sessions.
- Transportation benefits: Provide incentives for biking, walking, or carpooling to work, such as premium parking spots, bike racks, or even financial bonuses.
All this and ongoing support for your team at OpenSesame
Have questions about this guide or our resources? Want to collaborate with the curation team on a custom Wellness training plan using the OpenSesame catalog?
We’re here for you! Reach out to your Customer Success Manager today!
Here’s our OpenSesame Select List of 50 curated courses to support your team:
