Wellness Programs – Getting Workers Active.

• Be certain that your building’s stairwells are clean, attractive and safe, and post signs encouraging staff members to use the stairs.

• Establish a wellness newsletter or intranet.

• Promote the Activity Tracker and encourage staff members to track their physical activity every week.

• be creative, and make the most of the workspace you have. for example, mark off a safe walking path inside or around the building.

You may also set up a training circuit, highlighting features of the worksite such as stairs.

• Offer physical activity opportunities at different times to accommodate night-, shift-, and part-time employees.

• for employees in remote or satellite offices, offer equal access to key programs via the intranet. Adapt challenges to suit their environment and take benefit of local facilities and resources.

• Make physical activity available to workers with special needs. Adapt information and activities for any staff who are visually impaired or physically disabled in addition to for people  who speak English as a second language.

• Educate staff members about physical activity using information from reputable sources like the Alberta Center for Active Living.

• Offer facilities that invite onsite physical activity. Possibilities include bike racks, an exercise room, change rooms with lockers and showers, and safe and attractive grounds for walking.

• Hold walking meetings.

• Be sure to encourage employees to walk to coworkers’ offices in lieu of e-mailing or phoning.

• Make certain to set up a stretching room. This low-cost initiative requires only a room, stretching mats, stability balls and medicine balls. Put up posters that show stretches and exercises.

• Provide incentives such as shoe bags, ball caps, T-shirts or water bottles to reward staff participation.

• Loan out pedometers for three months, so that employees can find out how many steps they usually take and how much activity they need to add to get basic health benefits.

• Make space for staff members to plant and maintain a flowerbed or garden at the workplace. Use any resulting produce for meetings and potluck lunches or donate it to charity.

• Plan a workplace health fair.

• Hire a certified fitness expert to design and manage an onsite exercise facility.

• Supply workers with active wear that shows off the business logo.