Mental health at work: Finding moments for movement

As a busy business owner you know how hard it can be to fit exercise around your schedule. And your employees will no doubt be struggling with the same challenge.

But it’s a challenge worth facing when, according to the National Health Survey 2022, nearly half (46.9%) of employed adults aged 18–64 years described their day at work as mostly sitting.

As an employer, it’s your duty of care to consider what steps you need to take to improve your employees’ mental health. And if this means encouraging them to move a little more, then here are 3 tips for doing so without halting your productivity.

Find moments for movement

Encouraging exercise is important not only for your employees’ health, but it turns out it has benefits for your company’s health too. With research to support the idea that regular activity throughout the day can boost concentration and productivity rates.

And we’re not talking about getting a major sweat on either. When we suggest getting more physical, we mean less 80s jam and more encouragement of consistent, small bursts of physical activity. This could even be as simple as taking a walking meeting rather than sitting in a boardroom for an hour.

Or, for example, taking the stairs if you work in a multi-storey office building. This can be a small but effective way to get steps in, as well as encouraging employees to get outdoors during lunch breaks.

But how do you stay hot on employees taking regular breaks to improve their productivity? Well, making sure you have a system in place that account for employee hours is a great place to start.

Having a clocking-in app allows your staff can keep track of their own breaks and can be a great way to encourage regular breaks and movement away from screens.

Host after-work exercise classes

Hosting after-work classes or running exercise sessions at break times can not only help your employees find time to boost their physical and mental health, but it can also be a great team-building initiative.

Turning exercise into a fun and social event is a solid way to communicate the importance of physical activity without being overly preachy.

It can also be a fantastic opportunity to rally your team around charitable causes , whether that’s fun runs or tackling fitness challenges—all in the spirit of giving back!

Not only does this introduce a simple and accessible form of exercise for your staff, but brings together the team to improve workplace relationships and employee engagement.

Introduce rewards and recognition

Rewarding employees for taking part in wellness initiatives can be an effective yet subtle way to encourage a healthier attitude towards physical and therefore mental wellbeing.

If you can, offering employees discounted gym memberships can help increase engagement with your company and help when it comes to attracting new talent and boosting retention. Even better if you can offer an on-site fitness facility as not only will this allow staff to exercise at a time that suits them, but has also been shown to improve employee engagement.

Though we understand forking out for top-of-the-range gyms isn’t always feasible. So, finding cost-effective solutions can be a good alternative.

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to do this, why not explore BrightExchange, our online marketplace? It’s free for BrightHR customers and has thousands of employee perks to offer your team like health & wellbeing offers, as well as offers for business owners on enterprise gym memberships.

HR challenges for employers when broaching the topic of exercise

When it comes to employee mental health, offering the right support and having the right workplace mental health policy in place is fundamental.

As with any employee issue, but especially with mental and physical health, it’s important to approach conversations with sensitivity.

Creating a culture of inclusion and open communication is crucial. And remember when encouraging staff to add more physical activity into their lives, not everyone is going to be equally receptive.

If in doubt, getting expert support or advice from an employment relations specialist can help ease some of your worries when broaching the bigger topics with staff.

Need more mental health support in the workplace?

Unlock the ultimate way to look after your staff’s mental health this Mental Health Awareness Week and beyond! Discover award-winning employee wellbeing support.