Helping employees get physical activity during their workday could lower the risk of being sedentary. Research has shown that sitting for extended periods is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Plus being active has been shown to improve productivity and creativity!

As employees return to work post-COVID, help them stay active, wherever they are:

• Host shift stretches — have someone lead group stretching prior to each work shift, whether in person or virtual.
• Make the first 15 minutes of meetings standing (virtual or in person).
• Establish a “work or move” policy that allows employees to integrate exercise into their workday. Allow each employee to either take 15–30 minutes to be active during work hours — or just keep on working.
• Organize employee activity groups like bike rides, walks, pickleball challenges, or basketball tournaments. Survey or talk with employees to find the most popular ideas.
• Provide onsite equipment to promote activity like ping-pong tables, basketball hoops, or standing/treadmill desks.
• Encourage walking meetings for meetings of two to four people.
• Conduct a companywide campaign to encourage activity. Our Health@Work Take it outside! training will be offered July 28 and encourages people to be active outdoors (great for the summer months!). Sign up today!

By embracing the “move more, sit less” mantra, you will help prevent desk potatoes and nudge employees to a healthier, more productive workday.

Click here to read this month's E-tips for your employees: "Don’t be a couch (or desk) potato!" If you have trouble accessing the document, try a different web browser.

To share these E-tips with employees, you can:  

• Email the E-tips document to your staff as an attachment. 1) Click the link to download and save the E-tips to your computer. 2) Add your organization's logo in the bottom left corner. 3) Then send it as an email attachment to staff. 
• Print the document once you've added your organization's logo and post it in a common area in your workplace.
• Copy and paste the text into your organization's newsletter

Upcoming Health@Work event

Take it outside! online training on July 28 at 9 a.m.  

Take it outside! is a four-week challenge that helps employees reap the benefits of spending more time outside being active. Plan to attend on July 28 to receive everything you need to launch Take it outside! at your workplace whenever it’s convenient for you! Click here to sign up today.

Missed last month's E-tips?

Click here to read our June E-tips on what health equity is and why it matters. These E-tips can also be found on LinkedIn for ease of sharing and commenting: health equity and compassionate communication.