Should you help with the fitness of your employees? [BT broadband office]

Should you help with the fitness of your employees?

Posted 1 February 2008 at 9:35AM by Hannah Gilchrist in Light relief

Did you take the stairs rather than the lift this morning? Or were you out of puff after the first flight? Research has revealed that 42% of the nation can't climb a flight of stairs - a worrying statistic when many companies claim to be taking a more proactive approach to health and well-being.

But this new research by LA fitness pulls a positive punch for the benefits of keeping your employees fit. If found that employees who take part in a corporate fitness programme take five fewer sick days a year. So what would it take to get you motivated?

Are corporate membership schemes the right way to spend company money or are they wasted on employees not interested in fitness? Or if businesses spend money on gym memberships are they rewarded with staff absenteeism figure dropping?

Want to talk with others interested in getting fit? Join the health and beauty community.

Tags: bt, bt broadbandoffice, fitness, health and wellbeing, la fitness, motivation, staff

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Comments

1. At February 1, 2008 3:25 PM, JAMES wrote:

Advice - Dont employ unfit or over weight people in the first place. Get them to undertake a medical fitness test before employing anybody.

Every job that I have had required a medical.

Unfit people are a drain on the business - They just cannot keep up with the rest.

2. At February 4, 2008 11:24 AM, Scott wrote:

As an employee, I would see a gym membership as a good incentive, however, there would be people who wouldn't care less.

I would think if the business requires fit people that it would be a good idea, but if not, then why bother

3. At February 4, 2008 11:49 AM, Marc Ferguson wrote:

Hi James,

In today's workplace, if physical fitness was not a requirement of the job, it would be classed as discrimination to employ or not employ someone based on physical fitness.

It's like refusing someone a sales job because they are ugly and therefore less likely to show confidence over the phone - ludicrous.

4. At February 4, 2008 2:20 PM, Ade wrote:

I think what James suggests is preposterous, whether in this day and age, or hundreds of years ago.

I certainly do not condone being fat, but I would not dare to suggest that a fat person cannot do a job, if it requires mostly mental ability, and is not heavily dependent on physical fitness.

Never mind a sales job, being fat does not mean you are not smart, and cannot have jobs in Science, IT, Art, or whatever you decide! I'd like to know what James means, or maybe he's just being misunderstood.

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