National Fitness Day

Learn how employers can use National Fitness Day to raise awareness of health and fitness and find ways to create a more active, healthier work environment.

The value of supporting National Fitness Day at work

A positive workplace that encourages movement and regular activity helps employees stay healthy, happy and motivated.

Helping employees stay active at work has many benefits for employers:

Better work performance

• Exercise helps people focus, stay awake and think clearly
• When employees feel good, they are more productive

Fewer sick days

• Active employees are healthier and take fewer days off
• Moving more can prevent problems like back pain, heart disease and obesity

Happier employees

• A workplace that encourages movement makes people feel valued
• Happy employees enjoy their jobs more and are less likely to leave

Better teamwork

• Activities like step challenges or walking meetings bring people together
• When employees get along well, they work better as a team

A good reputation

• Companies that care about health attract more employees.
• People want to work where they feel supported and looked after

You can find out more about the benefits of being active in the Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines.

Get involved in National Fitness Day at work

Whatever your current fitness level is, there are ways everyone can get active on National Fitness Day – remember to be inclusive to those with disabilities.

Here are some things you could try in your workplace:

Encourage healthy workplace habits

Promote small, active habits like employees taking the stairs or parking further away from their base, if they must use their cars.

You could try the British Heart Foundation stair climb challenge in your workplace.

Organise or promote events

Organise lunchtime taster sessions for activities such as yoga or Pilates.

Advertise local sports groups, especially non-profits and charities. This is also a great way to help protect and improve your employee’s mental wellbeing.

Engage your teams

Involve employees in planning – understand their interests and involve them in organising and promoting events and activities.

Hosting an event doesn’t have to be a mammoth task. Simply do something that encourages more people to be more active on National Fitness Day – inside and outside the workplace.

Importance of being active at work

National Fitness Day isn’t just about one moment in time but about the longevity in taking small steps towards a lifestyle which can both protect and improve the health of you and your employees. Undertaking events and activities on National Fitness Day can unite teams and improve workplace productivity.

Promote green travel options

• Provide resources and promote green travel options, including active commuting. Even if staff travel by train or bus, they are likely to also walk more from the station than they would from their car.
• Implement a bike purchase salary sacrifice scheme which will also be a positive employment benefit for you staff

Encourage healthy workplace habits

• Start a workplace walking group. May is National Walking Month – encourage employees to take part and promote the event in your workplace, but no need to wait until May, any time is a good time to start
• Promote small, active habits like employees taking the stairs or parking further away from their base, if they must use their cars. You could try the British Heart Foundation stair climb challenge in your workplace
• Organise lunchtime taster sessions for activities such as yoga or Pilates
• Advertise local sports groups, especially non-profits and charities. This is also a great way to help protect and improve your employee’s mental wellbeing.

Engage your teams

• Talk to employees to understand their interests and involve them in the planning and organising of events and activities

Use support from other services

In Wales there are a range of organisations that can assist you and your employees to create a more active workplace:

• Sustrans support employers across Wales to empower their staff to leave the car at home and travel to work by public transport, bike, foot or car share
• British Heart Foundation provides advice, ideas, tips and resources to help you promote physical activity at work
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy provides free online resources and information about promoting physical activity at work
• Ramblers Cymru website provides information on local walks or walking groups in your area

Find out more about active workplaces.

Find out more

To find out how your workplace can get involved and get resources to use during National Fitness Day, visit the National Fitness Day website.

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