Should co-workers tackle fitness together? Research shows that co-workers who get together to participate in group or team sports form stronger bonds, which leads to more effective collaboration back on the job.
Activity = productivity = profit, according to the Centre for Health and Human Performance, which is headed by former Olympian and sports scientist Greg Whyte. Co-workers who play a sport or exercise together outside of the office are better able to relate to each other. Add the health benefits of regular exercise, getting active alongside your co-workers can positively impact at-work performance across the board.
Co-Worker Workouts… Work!
Working out with a partner, or as part of a group, can help people stick to a fitness regimen since accountability becomes part of their motivation to show up, keep up and reach their fitness goals. Choosing co-workers as exercise companions can also increase motivation by way of friendly competitiveness, as well as enhance positive relationships in the workplace.
Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, decreases stress levels, and improves sleep patterns. Individuals who are healthier are often more productive and effective on the job, which enhances team effectiveness, relationships with co-workers and increases job satisfaction.
Supporting Co-Worker Team Fitness
When co-workers exercise together, encouragement and motivation increase exponentially. The accountability factor can help each of them reach their goals faster and setting shared objectives can motivate the group even more.
There are many ways companies can support co-worker fitness. Some companies motivate staff by providing extra benefits for employees who adhere to a fitness regimen or by running fun contests. Companies can distribute pedometers and hang signs throughout their building to note the number of steps on a staircase or hallway. This encourages employees to be mindful of making healthy choices such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator - or choosing the longer path when walking to a conference room.
Co-workers that work out together excel together!
Good Exercises for a Co-Worker Group
Co-workers with an onsite gym have ready access to a facility for setting up informal weight sessions or spin classes. But even without such an incentive, co-workers can find a local gym and organize a group workout to benefit from mutual accountability and friendly competition.
Walking and running are also excellent group activities. If there's a pathway near your workplace, think about getting a group together for a lunch hour walk or a run after work. You can design an activity for different fitness levels with a "walk-run," alternating two minutes of walking with two minutes of running. Those interested in running regularly can use this time to warm up, then strike off on a more serious run.
Another inclusive approach is to set a pace which the slowest members of the group can match, and identify points along the way where faster runners can break away, possibly taking a detour to increase their kilometers run while allowing them to finish at approximately the same time and at the same destination as the rest of the group.
Consider training together for a fun run, charity run or marathon, such as the GMS Queen City Marathon in Regina. This event is held in early September and consists of three days of runs and walks ranging from mini-marathons to team and wheelchair events.
Working Together Off-Site Improves Working Together On-Site!
Inspiring a commitment to health and fitness at work can have multiple rewards for both the company and participating co-workers. Employers benefit from more effective teams and higher productivity, and employees enjoy better health and experience greater job satisfaction when they have strong work relationships. It's a win-win scenario that more and more workplaces are finding ways to support.