Charitable network’s new service will tackle sedentary behaviour and get workplaces moving
Active workplaces are healthier, happier and more productive, with less stress, lower absence and better performance. Despite the clear benefits for individual health and organisational performance achieved through physical activity, the main causes of sickness absence and poor performance in the workplace are linked to a lack of activity. The average UK worker spends nine hours a day sitting still.
Workplace Movement is a new service from Active Partnerships, which aims to reduce sedentary working, improve health and reduce stress for employees and provide business benefits. While there are numerous corporate health and wellbeing providers, there is a lack of support for workplaces dedicated to physical activity and the positive impact this brings. Workplace Movement addresses this gap by providing a range of online health and wellbeing resources focused on physical activity, including a benchmark tool, staff survey, resource library and activity tracking challenge. Additional local support and training is provided by the nationwide charitable network of Active Partnerships.
The 43 Active Partnerships work closely with Sport England, using sport and physical activity to engage communities and transform lives. Active Partnerships’ previous workplace service, Workplace Challenge, helped over 64,000 users see the benefits of active working.
Matt Liggins, Head of Business Development and Workplaces at Active Partnerships, said,
“We’re delighted to launch Workplace Movement. We hope our new service will really help workplaces all over the country get more active and see the considerable benefits this brings for workers and their employers.”
- 16.6m people do less than the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week. [Active Lives survey, Sport England, 2019]
- The annual cost to UK business of lack of physical activity is £6.6billion. [The economics of exercise, Measuring the business benefit of being physically fit, A report for AXA PPP healthcare 2019]
- Physically inactive individuals lose up to four and a half working days per year through absence and presenteeism, almost a whole working week, compared to active individuals. [The Economic Benefits of a More Physically Active Population, Rand Europe 2019]
- Mental ill-health, stress and musculoskeletal problems are the three leading causes of long-term absence from the workplace and make up two of the top three causes of short-term absence. [CIPD Health and Wellbeing at Work survey 2019] All three conditions are associated with a lack of physical activity. Being more physically active can help to lower risks and alleviate symptoms.
For more information on Workplace Movement please contact:
Matt Liggins mliggins@activepartnerships.org
