GETTING STAFF MORE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE a guide for employers
This Topic Guide has been commissioned and reviewed by Public Health England (PHE), but developed by Health@Work. The purpose is to provide information to help organisations of all sizes and sectors consider the value of physical activity in the workplace. The information contained in this guide is not exhaustive and is intended to provide a brief overview of the topic in order for organisations to consider their current practice. Advice and signposting links towards sources of support for those who wish to develop a physical activity strategy and enhance existing provision are also included. 2 Getting staff more physically active Workplace wellbeing charter
GETTING STAFF MORE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE Sedentary behaviour is being engineered into everyday life particularly through the workplace and levels of obesity are on the rise. This is a key issue for businesses as staff that are more physically active are more productive, take fewer sick days and are less likely to have an accident at work. Supporting active travel options and providing opportunities for physical activity during the working day bringing benefits for both staff and businesses alike. BUSINESS BENEFITS If being active was a pill we would be rushing to prescribe it. A wealth of evidence shows that an active life is essential for health. 1 Physically active employees are: less likely to suffer from major health problems less likely to take sick leave less likely to have an accident at work 2 more productive 3 Getting people more physically active doesn t have to come at a big cost. There are lots of free or low cost ways to support more active lives. The cost of physical inactivity in England has been estimated at 7.4 billion a year 4, including the direct costs of treatment for major lifestyle-related diseases and the indirect costs caused through sickness absence. The main cost though, is losses to business productivity. Workplace wellbeing charter Getting staff more physically active 3
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES The Chief Medical Officer for England (2011) 5 recommends that: 1. Adults aged 18-64 should aim to be active daily. Over a week, activity should add up to at least 150 minutes (2½ hours) of moderate intensity activity in bouts of 10 minutes or more. 2. Alternatively, comparable benefits can be achieved through 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity spread across the week or combinations of moderate and vigorous intensity activity. 3. Adults should also undertake physical activity to improve muscle strength on at least two days a week. 4. All adults should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (sitting) for extended periods. Individual physical and mental capabilities should be considered when interpreting the guidelines. 4 Getting staff more physically active Workplace wellbeing charter
LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Many people do not meet the recommended weekly amounts of physical activity and that this can have a profound effect on their health and wellbeing and their attendance and performance at work. Men Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines in 2012 67% meeting guidelines 33% not meeting guidelines Women Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines in 2012 55% meeting guidelines 45% not meeting guidelines Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre (2013) 6 Workplace wellbeing charter Getting staff more physically active 5
WAYS TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AT WORK Put in place a physical activity policy or statement in order to maximise opportunities for staff to be active during, before and after the working day. Provide and disseminate information on the benefits of physical activity to all. Encourage all staff to take at least the minimum legally required breaks during their working day. 7 Encourage physical activity during the working day by such means as posters promoting the use of stairs, pedometer challenges and by recommending employees move away from their workstations at least once per hour. Promote physical activity provision in the local area and encourage and support staff to attend. This may include advertising local groups, gyms, events and displaying walking and cycling routes. Explore and implement flexible working practices in order to make it easier for staff to be physically active during the day. Investigate and implement physical activity opportunities in the workplace including the provision of exercise classes, sports clubs or a staff gym. This could include subsidised rates to local facilities. Free initiatives could include walking or running groups delivered by volunteers from the workplace or by local clubs. Explore and implement an organisation travel plan which includes physical activity. This may include a cycle to work scheme and provision of cycle racks, clothing lockers, changing and shower facilities. Consider having a workplace health champion to act as a source of support to colleagues by:» Planning and raising awareness about a rolling schedule of events to promote the importance of physical activity, for example running a workplace challenge.» Providing advice to staff in line with government guidelines. Senior members of staff should support and encourage any physical activity initiatives in the workplace, and provide the appropriate leadership. No member of staff can be forced or expected to partake in activities and no punitive action should be taken for those who do not wish to engage. The goal of any initiatives should be to maximise opportunities for all staff and encourage an appropriate level of participation from all who would like to be involved. Offer staff tailored programmes to increase awareness and understanding of the benefits of physical activity and how to be more active, such as theory-based and practical training sessions. 8 Consider physical activity opportunities in office design. 6 Getting staff more physically active Workplace wellbeing charter
MEASURING IMPACT Physical activity programmes in the workplace can be evaluated in various ways to give different indications of success. These can be broadly divided into benefits for employees and benefits for the organisation. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Carry out staff surveys to evaluate awareness of physical activity guidelines and current activity levels. Surveys can be carried out prior to the implementation of any physical activity initiatives and then at regular intervals. Monitor the number of staff who participate in workplace physical activity initiatives. Monitoring numbers registering for the cycle to work scheme and the percentage of users claiming for parking can indicate any increase in those who are travelling to work without their car. This data can be linked to questions on a staff survey. ORGANISATION BENEFITS Monitor staff turnover across the organisation and compare to previous levels. Employee wellness programmes like the Workplace Wellbeing Charter have been shown to be a cost-effective way of improving workplace health and reducing staff sickness absence, with an estimated cost of 3 per sickness-absence day saved. 9 You may also wish to consider the impact on presenteeism (where attends work when unwell) and levels of productivity. Workplace wellbeing charter Getting staff more physically active 7
FURTHER SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace, Business Case Tool Allows organisations to calculate savings attributed to physical activity in their workplace www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph13/resources/promoting-physical-activity-in-the-workplacebusiness-case County Sports Partnership Workplace Challenge Free site to log activity, enter challenges and encourage participation in local sporting activities www.workplacechallenge.org.uk Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults Guidance from the Chief Medical Office (CMO) on how much physical activity people should be doing www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/213740/ dh_128145.pdf NHS Choices Livewell pages: Health and wellbeing information www.nhs.uk/livewell/fitness/pages/fitnesshome.aspx Change4Life campaign Aims to get the country eating better and moving more and provides advice on how to make healthier changes www.nhs.uk/change4life/pages/change-for-life.aspx Walking for Health A network of health walk schemes across England helping people across the country lead a more active lifestyle. www.walkingforhealth.org.uk Sustrans A charity enabling people to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys. http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ CTC A charity that enables people to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys. www.ctc.org.uk One You A key resource to promote adult health is the One You campaign. One You encourages people to reappraise their lifestyle choices, put themselves first and do something about their own health. Simply search One You online for a free online health quiz. There is also information and links to local sources of support to make a behaviour change. https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou#f3opdgkxbdb5p25l.97 8 Getting staff more physically active Workplace wellbeing charter
ABOUT THIS TOPIC GUIDE This Topic Guide has been jointly produced between Public Health England, health@work and Liverpool City Council. The purpose of this guide is to provide information and support to help organisations of all sizes and sectors improve health in the workplace and to work towards achieving accreditation of the Workplace Wellbeing Charter. ABOUT THE WORKPLACE WELLBEING CHARTER The Workplace Wellbeing Charter is an opportunity for employers to demonstrate their commitment to the health and well-being of their workforce. The positive impact that employment can have on health and wellbeing is now well documented. There is also strong evidence to show how having a healthy workforce can reduce sickness absence, lower staff turnover and boost productivity - this is good for employers, workers and the wider economy. The Workplace Wellbeing Charter provides employers with an easy and clear guide on how to make workplaces a supportive and productive environment in which employees can flourish. Organisations of all sizes can use the Charter standards. The Commitment level has been developed as a baseline for all businesses to achieve and acts as a useful checklist for smaller organisations to ensure legal obligations are met. The criteria for small businesses should not involve significant financial investments, and there are lots of free resources and guidance on the Charter website as well as support from your local provider. Employers who volunteer to sign up will find help and support available through the Charter website. This will include a network of providers who can offer employers the services and advice they need to be accredited with the Charter, and help them to build the healthy workforce that business needs for the future. www.workplacewellbeing.org.uk WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOUR ACCREDITATION If you are considering applying for Charter accreditation we recommend you search for a provider in your area using the Charter website www.wellbeingcharter.org.uk Complete a self-assessment using the benchmarking tool on the website. Your local provider can offer advice and support to help with this process and advise on next steps. Workplace wellbeing charter Getting staff more physically active 9
REFERENCES [1] Public Health England. (2014). Everybody Active Every Day: An evidence-based approach to physical activity. [2] Dishman, R. K., Oldenburg, B., O Neal, H., & Shephard, R. J. (1998). Worksite physical activity interventions. American journal of preventive medicine, 15(4), 344-361. [3] Black, D. C. (2008). Working for a healthier tomorrow. In Working for a healthier tomorrow. The Stationery Office. [4] Scarborough, P., Bhatnagar, P., Wickramasinghe, K. K., Allender, S., Foster, C., & Rayner, M. (2011). The economic burden of ill health due to diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and obesity in the UK: an update to 2006 07 NHS costs. Journal of Public Health, 33(4), 527-535. [5] Department of Health. (2011). Factsheet 4: Physical activity guidelines for adults (19-64 years). Retrieved from www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ file/213740/dh_128145.pdf [6] Health and Social Care Information Centre. (2013). Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet - England, 2013. [7] NICE. (2008). Promoting physical activity in the workplace. NICE guidelines [PH13]. [8] Workplace Wellbeing Charter Self Assessment Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.wellbeingcharter.org.uk [9] Braun, T., Bambra, C., Booth, M., Adetayo, K., & Milne, E. (2014). Better health at work? An evaluation of the effects and cost benefits of a structured workplace health improvement programme in reducing sickness absence. Journal of Public Health, fdu043. 10 Getting staff more physically active Workplace wellbeing charter
These guides have been jointly produced between Public Health England, Health@Work and Liverpool City Council. The Workplace Wellbeing Charter National Award for England is a Registered Trademark