Movement Motivates
It’s no secret that staying active and cardio exercise have physiological and psychological benefits to the body. But what’s often overlooked is the direct and indirect costs associated with sedentary habits of an employee related to the employer’s bottom line. Over time and scaled up, the costs of converting to an Active Office can pay big dividends.
Cognitive Intelligence
As soon as a person starts to move, changes begin to happen. Physical activity signals the body’s neurotransmitters to release an increase of chemicals serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine to the brain. These neurochemicals have an immediate and positive impact on cognitive functions such as motivation, memory recall, focus, attention, reasoning, and creative problem solving. And not just during activity, but even extending up to an hour after activity has stopped. Simply put, physical activity has a direct effect on cognitive performance and productivity, allowing your employees to think at their best.
+35%
increase in memory accuracy
+45%
increase in task efficiency
+65%
increase in office productivity
Physical Health
Increasing heart health can stave off cardiovascular disease along with maintaining a healthy weight. Insulin action improves and lowers risk of type 2 diabetes with daily movement. Low and medium impact physical activities, such as walking, have long been known to reduce joint and back pain. In addition, and very relevant to employers, are the very quantifiable advantages in fighting WMSDs (work-related musculoskeletal disorders) of muscle, tendons, nerves, and neck tension. Throw in the benefits of higher energy levels along with improvements to the body’s immune system and it’s easy to see how reduced absenteeism, fewer insurance claims, and less sick days can all have substantial bottom-line medical savings and increased profitability per employee.
-10%
reduction in Non-HDL cholesterol
$700 Billion
costs of physical inactivity
Mental Well-Being
Even short breaks from sedentary work have been found to have positive effects in the psychological state among office workers. Releasing natural feel-good endorphins can enhance a sense of well-being and reduce anxiety, stress management, and symptoms of depression, causing positive change in emotions. Engagement and confidence, resulting in higher quality in one’s work has also shown measured increases in studies. This improved individual mood can have an invaluable positive effect on team culture in the workplace. Think of the value of fewer disruptions and squabbles for the HR department to deal with. Positive employees are key to a productive team.
+20%
improved overall mood
+55%
improved work satisfaction
References
- The delayed effect of treadmill desk usage on recall and attention - (University of Montreal study on treadmill desk )
- Call Center Productivity Over 6 Months Following a Standing Desk Intervention - (Texas A&M study on standing desks)
- Transform Grant Research Project - Stand up for work - (School of Medicine at Mount Sinai study of standing)
- The Economic Cost of Physical Inactivity and Excess Weight in American Adults - (National Library of Medicine)
- Benefits of Substituting Sitting with Standing and Walking in Free-Living Conditionss - (Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands)
- Performance and Meta-Cognitive Outcomes When Using Activity Workstations - (Dept. Psychology, Clemson University on pedal desks)
- Examining Treadmill Desk Use When Working from Home - (Occupational Health Science - Springer)
Customer Testimonials
“It’s not required for companies to do this, but it’s a great perk that makes me feel better personally and physically. I love it”
Event Manager, Zillow
“What makes it impactful is trying to get back to the culture of the organization.”
FitBit, Amy McDonough, VP
“ When you build a wellness culture, you have to do it from top leadership who support it, who walk the walk. But you also need support from a grassroot level.”
The Ohio State University
Invest in Movement
Schedule a call with one of our Sale Representatives and start maximizing your employee productivity today!