MSP were commissioned by Liverpool City Council (LCC) and NHS Liverpool CCG (LCCG) to deliver the ‘Liverpool Active Workplaces’ programme, in order to reduce physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour within the workplace. The key component of the programme was to train up 100 volunteer Physical Activity Champions in workplaces across the city, acting as a peer support mechanism to their colleagues; organising and promoting physical activity initiatives within their workplace.
Local employees and employers fed back to MSP that sedentary behaviour is now engrained in workplace culture, and initiatives to reverse this pattern are often ignored through traditional workplace communication methods e.g. emails, noticeboards and intranets. MSP therefore planned to create a network of Physical Activity Champions across the city, who would be able to share best practice, celebrate successes and share tips to overcome barriers to participation.
We invited employees from a wide range of backgrounds to become volunteer Champions - they didn’t have to be in a senior or HR role, and therefore we had employees coming forward including cleaners, receptionists - people in job roles who were often overlooked or ignored in workplace development. MSP also used insight to map training provision, by inviting organisations from a broad range of business sectors and targeting the city’s major employers (e.g. Council, universities and NHS Trusts) so that the Champions could have the biggest impact in terms of volume of colleagues.
Champions attended a one day training course (adapted from the Workplace Challenge Champion Training), delivered by MSP and also partnering with the British Heart Foundation. Participants learnt about physical activity evidence and guidelines, benefits to employees/employers, barriers to participation, behaviour change principles and techniques, local sources of support plus importantly we included lots of practical activities that the Champions could take back to their workplace to implement straight away - including desk-exercises, NGB sport games (e.g. table tennis, volleyball), walking meetings and meeting room adaptations.
107 Physical Activity Champions were empowered, and as part of the post training evaluation we co-designed face to face networking sessions with Champions so that they could continue their learning and share best practice. As a result, MSP set-up online support groups (through LinkedIn and Facebook), organised marketstall events with requested partners and brokered relationships with activity providers (e.g. local gyms, NGBs) that Champions could use as tools to promote activity.
Headline outcomes achieved by the Physical Activity Champions are outlined below, categorised by ‘Sporting Future’ objectives:
Physical Wellbeing
- 97% of Champions provided information and signposting to their colleagues in order to improve colleague physical activity levels
- 77% Champions organised physical activity sessions within their workplace, improving the physical activity levels of 2,000 colleagues
- 34% Champions improved their own physical activity levels as a result of attending the training
Mental Wellbeing
- 31% of Champions improved their own wellbeing levels as a result of attending the training; reporting improved enjoyment, self-esteem and happiness
- 28% of Champions reported an increase in their own mood at work; including reporting having more energy and feeling less stressed
- Champion quote: “I organised a free yoga session in our workplace, with 12 colleagues attending. I have also become a trained Walk Leader, and I’m very proud that my weekly walking sessions (40 minutes at lunchtime) have had colleagues attending every week!” (employee at LJMU)
Individual Development
- 91% of Champions felt more confident to promote workplace physical activity
- 96% of Champions volunteer their time to fulfil their role (not having allocated hours alongside their existing job role), learning new skills in communicating with and motivating colleagues to be more active
- 20 volunteers went on to receive other sport related qualifications - 5 new Run Leaders were trained and 15 new Walk Leaders were trained
Social and Community Development
Empowering workplace Champions brought colleagues together, created a community spirit and pride towards their relationship with physical activity. This was enabled through a number of activity initiatives set up and led by Champions, including:
- Walking groups and walking meetings at work
- Deskercise sessions for people to be active at their desk
- Sport teams e.g. setting up rounders or netball teams
- Fitness class tasters after office hours e.g. yoga and tai chi
- Gym discounts at local facilities
- Weekend trips for long walks or cycle rides
Economic Development
- A Social Return of Investment of £512,411 (therefore a £14.64 return on each £1 invested) has been calculated through MSP’s SROI and Impact Model
- 45% of organisations participating in the programme reported a reduction in their absenteeism levels
From a sustainability perspective, MSP continues to enable the volunteer Champions by providing new opportunities for them to implement in their workplace through NGB and partner products and services. The success of the programme has seen greater:
- Mobilisation for securing potential funding opportunities
- Economies of scale and efficiencies
- Value, that is placed on sport and physical activity
- Partnership working, brokering and shared learning
- Transparency and MSP’s profile optimised
- Diversity and sense of pride
- Leadership and decision-making within participating organisations