Fitness
Transforming your health in just minutes – at work
From chair massages to office yoga, more and more companies are introducing wellness initiatives to encourage their employees to stay fit, focused and engaged.
A research team at the University of South Australia (UniSA) suggests that 15 minutes and a bit of gaming is all it takes to positively affect fitness, energy, health, sleep and mood. The findings were published in the journal ‘Healthcare’.
Exercise and some friendly competition
The researchers analysed the results of 11 575 volunteers from over 70 Australian, New Zealand and British companies who participated in a gamified workplace wellness programme called 15 Minute Challenge. This 6-week online workplace physical activity competition asks workers to do at least 15 minutes of exercise every day. They record their activities on an app that has gamification features, such as team competitions and tracking, to keep participants motivated.
“With the majority of adults spending much of their waking time working, workplaces present ideal settings for promoting physical activity,” commented UniSA research fellow Dr Ben Singh in a news release. “In this study we showed that as little as 15 minutes of physical activity per day, can make a big difference when it comes to people’s health and wellbeing. And while the program only required 15 minutes of activity, most people tended to do more.”
After 6 weeks, most volunteers met (36 %) or surpassed (59 %) the World Health Organization physical activity guidelines. Their average daily physical activity levels rose by 12 minutes daily (85 minutes per week) during the challenge. In addition, they saw improvements in fitness (14 %), energy (12 %), overall health (8 %), sleep quality (8 %) and mood (7.1 %).
Putting workers on the path to wellness
“The 15-minute goal essentially serves as an accessible starting point – especially for people who are particularly sedentary. So, it reduces barriers to entry and helps build the habit of regular exercise,” explained Dr Singh. “Ultimately, the 15-minutes is a catalyst for increased physical activity, with many participants ending up exceeding the minimum goal and moving closer to or surpassing national recommendations.”
Not to be overlooked was the gamification aspect that kept everyone motivated, added Carol Maher, professor of population and digital health at UniSA. “The program encourages team collaboration, to track rankings, and display cumulative exercise. Achievements are clearly noted, and successes are celebrated. So, it’s certainly a tool that engages people to work together and have fun.”
The big health improvements emphasise the potential of wellness interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour and promote a healthier, more active lifestyle.
“Physically active employees are happier and healthier; they are more productive, more satisfied, less stressed and less likely to get sick,” stated Prof. Maher. “Sustainable, scalable initiatives – like the 15 Minute Challenge – that can support employees to change their health and well-being for the better, should be on every employer’s agenda.”
Keywords
health, work, wellness, exercise, wellbeing, employee, workplace, wellness programme, physical activity, gamification