The majority of Americans
The effects of being stationary are evident in the increasing number of
"Exercise is often viewed as an outlet in vanity, as weight loss, or as a New Year's resolution," says Zack Papalia, senior population health and well-being consultant at insurance brokerage Brown and Brown. "People really fail to grasp the enormous impact that regular physical activity has, both on the body and on the mind."
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Health expectations versus reality
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults get at least 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity (enough to get your heart rate up) throughout the week, along with two rounds of muscle-strengthening activity. But less than 30% of people achieve these recommended amounts, according to the CDC.
What keeps many people from starting and sticking with a fitness routine is the idea that a lot of time and an intense workout are the only ways to achieve results. Not true, says Papalia. And employers can help their workforce achieve a healthier lifestyle by promoting "movement as medicine" — a widely embraced idea that increased movement in general leads to better holistic health — and offering benefits that provide foundational fitness support, he explains.
"There's a real opportunity to facilitate access to physical activity, both in the workplace and beyond. The benefits of that are enormous, both from a clinical chronic condition outcome standpoint, as well as just general well-being, recruitment and retention, employee satisfaction and organizational culture," he says.
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Providing wellness flexibility
Everyone's health journey is different, so the more employers can do to give people control over theirs, the better, says Papalia. He points out that while a small percentage of a workforce population may utilize a specific wellness vendor, offering options like a lifestyle spending account gives employees the freedom to find an option that resonates with them. In addition to giving employees the ability to be active and well on their own terms, this broader approach takes pressure off employers to find just the right third party platforms, he adds.
But benefits aren't the only way to get employees moving. Companies can build a work environment and facilitate ways for workers to be more mobile throughout the day, says Papalia. In an office setting, things like standing desks, having a centralized trash can, and other small ways to get people more active throughout the day can add up. Papalia suggests that leaders set an example by organizing walking meetings or active lunches — anything that adds some physical activity to people's day.
"Having a movement-promoting workplace is such a shift in mentality from the traditional white collar environments of sitting in an office and getting your work done from nine to five," he says. "If we're shifting the definition of productivity from constantly being at your desk to the acknowledgement that work can be done in a more flexible and mobile fashion, it requires leadership not only communicating it, but practicing what they preach and doing that in front of their employees."
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For the good of a workforce's holistic health, employers should look for ways to promote more movement into their employees' workday, offer benefits that fit a broad range of needs and educate them about how a little bit of activity each day can go a long way, says Papalia.
"There are 10,080 minutes in one week, so all you have to do is facilitate or help [people] find 1.4% of their time [and] just have fun moving," he says. "It doesn't have to be a workout class, a spin class, or heavy weight lifting; just any movement for 1% of your week, and suddenly you have a clinically significant impact on your long term health and well-being."
