The following is a menu of strategies to consider for creating a supportive work environment and culture for physical activity and active living. The strategies are grouped in the following categories:
-ENVIRONMENT: Available options for physical activity
-STAFF POLICY : An official decision providing permission or an incentive related to physical activity
- SYSTEMS : An activity that reaches all employees
Offer a physical activity program, accessible for all ability levels, that includes motivational elements to inspire employees, such as employee competitions, team challenges and recognition/rewards
ENVIRONMENT
Establish a non-competitive physical activity program, such as a “buddy program” or exercise group, accessible for all ability levels
ENVIRONMENT
Sponsor employee teams in organized fun runs/walks
ENVIRONMENT
Organize onsite or virtual fitness classes for a broad range of ability levels
ENVIRONMENT
Provide safe and clean facilities for showers and/or changing
ENVIRONMENT
Provide secure bike racks
ENVIRONMENT
Provide clean, safe, and attractive stairwells and encourage their use
ENVIRONMENT
Encourage employees to take brief activity breaks throughout the workday
ENVIRONMENT
Provide employees with the option to use “active office” furniture such as stand-up or treadmill desks, and/or stability balls
ENVIRONMENT
Offer or refer employees to a program that counsels employees about how to be physically active
ENVIRONMENT
Create an employee activity club (e.g. walking club) or team
ENVIRONMENT
Maintain a safe outdoor activity feature at the worksite or nearby in the community (e.g. green space, maintained walking trail)
ENVIRONMENT
Offer initiatives that encourage and support physical activity among family members of employees
ENVIRONMENT
Support community development to make the employer’s region more walkable and bikeable
ENVIRONMENT
Support “healthy meetings” such as stand-up or walking meetings, and/or meetings that incorporate stretching or other physical activity.
STAFF POLICY
Reimburse employees for purchases of fitness equipment, fitness-related apps, or physical activity-related programs
STAFF POLICY
Offer incentives for physical activity such as gift certificates for equipment and include such incentives in the employee benefit plan when appropriate
STAFF POLICY
Provide free or subsidized public transportation passes to encourage walking/biking as part of a daily commute
STAFF POLICY
Give free or reduced rate memberships for bike share programs to encourage bikes as a form of transportation
STAFF POLICY
Increase the time allowed for lunch breaks or provide flexible scheduling to allow employees to be active during the workday
STAFF POLICY
Offer employees opportunities to wear casual, work-out-friendly attire to work
STAFF POLICY
Create an onsite fitness area or reimburse/subsidize the cost of an offsite fitness center membership
STAFF POLICY
Integrate “recess breaks” (e.g. 15-minute activity breaks) into the workweek
STAFF POLICY
Provide education and information to employees about the benefits of an active lifestyle or reducing sedentary behavior
SYSTEMS
Promote the health and productivity benefits of avoiding long periods of sedentary behavior (e.g. sitting at a desk for an extended period of time)
SYSTEMS
Create a map of indoor and/or outdoor walking or rolling paths that are safe, convenient, and easy to follow near the workplace
SYSTEMS
Provide information about worksite activities (e.g. exercise classes) and/or local opportunities to be physically active or less sedentary
SYSTEMS
Promote parking farther away from the entrance to encourage more physical activity
SYSTEMS
Create a "nudge" (e.g., e-mail, text, music) prompting employees to move
SYSTEMS
Provide wearable activity trackers for employees (e.g., MyZone, fitbit, garmin, or other sustainable physical activity trackers)
SYSTEMS
Provide equipment, such as headsets, speaker phones, stability balls, standing desks to facilitate sitting less