Is employee physical fitness good for an organization's fiscal health too?

Employee physical fitness is as good for the company's fiscal health as it is for employee health. Worksite physical fitness activities are reducing absenteeism, decreasing sick leave and lowering disability days and health care costs.

Employers are encouraging employees, their families, and retirees to exercise regularly by offering worksite programs or discounts or free memberships for community and private fitness facilities. Employees participating in worksite fitness programs have shown health improvements in blood pressure, body weight, physical fitness, other coronary heart disease risk factors, and psychological health.

Physical fitness program design

There are a wide range of factors to consider, ranging from the facilities themselves and the cost to pre-exercise screening.

Facilities. Employers with their own fitness facilities on company premises tend to have the most active programs, but employers sponsoring fitness activities through community resources enjoy a good measure of success, too. Cost and available facilities are important considerations.

Activities. A variety of offerings are available to employers:

Target audience. Target audiences include employees, their families, retirees (and their spouses) and friends of employees.

Employee cost. Ways in which employees' costs may be handled include no charge to employees; employer/employee shared cost; employer-subsidized memberships in community facilities; and employee-run and employee-funded facilities.

Liability. Employers' coverage for liability for exercise injuries can be handled by having adequate insurance and workers' compensation plans. In addition, the risk of liability can be reduced by careful planning. Consider:

• proper training of staff and regularly scheduled staff meetings;
• detailed instructions on the safe use of facilities and equipment;
• written procedures for daily inspection and maintenance of equipment and facilities;
• posted emergency procedures;
• posted facility rules and regulations;
• availability of basic first aid supplies;
• accident reporting system;
• employer and expert input on facility layout and design and equipment purchases;
• the use of nationally recognized tests and procedures for fitness testing; and
• adequate supervision of the facility.

Reprinted with permission. © CCH