A workforce that is regularly active is a workforce with lowered risk of chronic conditions such as heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Exercise has also been shown to improve mood and sleeping patterns.
Many workers in Ireland are engaged in work that involves mostly sitting so it’s important to encourage your staff to get moving during their working hours. A workforce with decreased risks of disease and illness, enhanced mood, and better sleep and functionality has the potential to lead to multiple benefits:
- Greater productivity, innovation, and creativity
- Greater motivation and problem-solving capacity
- Greater loyalty to the organisation
- Greater workplace cohesion and stronger team spirit
- Reduced absenteeism
- Reduced insurance costs
- Healthy, happy and thriving workplace environment
Additionally, a commitment to the health of your employees will improve your public image and recruitment and retention opportunities.
Here are some quick resources to get you started:
National Physical Activity Guidelines
This Healthy Ireland website offers the Department of Health’s physical activity guidelines. Acknowledging that regular physical activity is key to getting and staying healthy. Their guidelines include recommendations for children and young people as well as adults, people with disabilities …
Healthy Weight Campaign
Healthy Ireland’s Healthy Weight campaign is one in a series of national measures to help you manage your weight. The aim of the campaign is to support your health by sharing information about behaviours that can affect your weight.
Employee Wellness Policy Template
This Employee Wellbeing policy template from Workable.com is ready to be tailored to your company’s needs.
While these resources are helpful to get you started, it’s very important to carefully plan your workplace wellbeing activities. Research shows that all activities that target the individual employee, should be coupled with activities at the level of the organisation. In other words, you should always take measures to create a supportive organisational environment alongside lifestyle-focussed supports for your employees. We’ve included detailed advice on how best to plan your activities at both these levels.
Organisation-level Activities
The “bedrock” of the CIPD Well-being Pyramid is culture, leadership and people management. These are the best ways to ensure you’re creating a solid foundation to your workplace well-being efforts:
Individual-level Activities
Your wellbeing initiatives at the individual level will likely focus on raising awareness and/or building skills to manage this wellbeing area.
Other Physical Activity Resources
In this section you can find additional resources to help you with your physical activity programmes
Connect with the HSE and community support organisations for infographics and other resources in our Community Links section.