Productivity is a popular topic right now. Individuals and businesses are looking to get more work done, but is it as simple as just sitting down and getting on with working? While it may surprise some bosses, employees don’t only exist in the workplace. They have an entire life outside the contracted hours of their job, and there may be times when factors and events in their personal life inevitably bleed into their professional one. This is in addition to any issues created or amplified during the workday by poor practices and processes. Some employers can find employee wellness difficult to manage, but the impact on productivity and morale, regardless of the origin, can be detrimental to employee and company performance. While employers can design an office that’s airy and relaxing or that seeks to encourage productivity and focus, it’s much harder to manage tiredness, stress, low mood and morale. There’s no magic bullet for addressing a slowdown in performance or productivity, and there may be several reasons for it. Poor workload and people management can be detrimental to performance. Inefficient systems and processes, poor communication, office politics, and bullying are also common factors. External events like cost-of-living concerns, illness, grief, mental health issues, and other short—and long-term life stressors can also contribute heavily. There’s no single answer to these problems, but exercise can help employees manage their wellness, whether those issues originate inside the office or at home. Therefore, it makes sense for offices to find ways to make physical activity more accessible. And this doesn’t have to be an act of selflessness on the part of the business. Exercise can positively impact focus and productivity. It can improve creative thinking and problem-solving. Not to mention that many employees now see exercise provisions in the workplace as a benefit they look for when considering new employers or positions. And the link between health and physical exercise shouldn't be underestimated on a personal or professional level. The World Health Organization states that 1 in 4 adults worldwide don't exercise enough and that 'up to 5 million premature deaths could be prevented each year if the global population was more active'. Forbes writes that people who sit for more than 8 hours a day without any physical activity share a similar risk of dying as smokers and obesity. One of the main reasons why people quit the gym is a lack of time. Whether that's accurate or simply a perception, it does illustrate why some people don't exercise regularly. Once you factor in the amount of time spent working, familial and social responsibilities, errands, life admin, etc., it becomes clear why exercise isn't always a priority. Many of us can imagine the personal benefits of exercising at work, but what are the advantages for employers? How Does Employee Exercise Benefit Employers? One study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that workers who exercised moderately produced higher-quality work and performed better than those who did not exercise. Bristol University asked participants to answer questionnaires about their mood, workload, and performance. On the days they exercised, 79% said they performed better mentally and interpersonally, while 74% said they managed their workload better. For Forbes, Naz Beheshti writes: 89% of workers at companies that support well-being initiatives are more likely to recommend their company as a good place to work. This shows that the benefits of exercise in the workplace go beyond just helping an employee shake off an afternoon slump; they can also facilitate future hiring and marketing. The choice of exercise can also contribute to a more specific outcome. One study concluded, "Cardiovascular exercise was found to increase well-being and decrease psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion. Resistance training was noticeably effective in increasing well-being and personal accomplishment and to reduce perceived stress." The study says that exercise can also help employees recover from burnout, which is becoming more common in the workplace. We can’t talk about employee wellness and performance without mentioning it. Burning out at work often happens when employees are mentally and/or physically fatigued due to their jobs. This is usually due to extended periods of stress that harm an employee's professional and personal life. Harvard Business Review lists some of the more common causes of burnout, including feeling overloaded with work, lacking autonomy in your job, feeling unrewarded financially or mentally, receiving unfair treatment, and feeling disconnected from the company’s values. While many of us will have experienced some of these in the workplace at one time or another, the real issue arises when it becomes long-term. According to the Harvard Health website, exercise reduces the amount of cortisol and adrenaline in the bloodstream, which are stress hormones. Exercise also helps produce endorphins, which are the 'body's natural painkillers and mood elevators'. Website Aapativ writes about the results of one study published by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), which showed how "Seven out of ten adults in the United States say they experience stress or anxiety daily. And most say it interferes at least moderately with their lives." Up to 70% of your employees could be dealing with stress or anxiety daily. There are many ways to offer exercise to your employees. One option is to have an on-site gym or studio or provide free or subsidized memberships to a third-party operator. Some gym chains offer corporate memberships. It could mean chatting to Energym about the ECO:POD, a self-contained exercise area with electricity-generating bikes that companies can use to support sustainability and employee wellness. It could involve letting employees take active breaks for short walks or self-guided sessions during the day. Employees could also instigate walking meetings to help facilitate movement during the day, give employees information about local walks that might be of interest during breaks, or encourage people to access cycle-to-work schemes. Flexibility can help, too. Allowing employees to take longer breaks to fit in a workout can make it more accessible in the afternoon or late morning. Nutrition Solutions in the US pays employees for an hour’s workout before or after work. What is important is creating a culture or community within the office setting that supports physical activity and values it as meaningful to the company. This is where group activities or challenges can be really helpful for both the employee and employer. While they come with all the other benefits mentioned, they can also build camaraderie between team members. Research in the gym field has found that gym members are more likely to stick to their fitness goals when they exercise in groups. This may help your employees form habits that will last long-term. Exercise has a wide range of benefits for both employees and employers. It’s important that physical activity is encouraged, with employees feeling supported but not pressured. It can also be helpful to think of exercise as part of a broader wellness context so that it isn’t just a short-term fix but a strategy that supports both the business and the people working there. Inside an Energym ECO:POD, employees can ride electricity-generating fitness bikes while powering portable battery units or a hot-desking area. The ECO:POD is where wellness meets sustainability as employees can also relax in the yoga and meditation zone. Find out more about transforming your corporate space on our Energym for Offices page.