Fit employees are less likely to take sick leave, they have more energy, and they tend to have a more positive outlook and be less stressed. Reduced fitness is associated with higher absenteeism, reduced productivity, increased injury rates and protracted claims. It is therefore in the employer’s interest to aid employees improve their fitness.

Sedentary behaviour

Sedentary work involves substantial sitting and little exercise.  This is increasingly recognised to be associated with a series of health problems. 

Many workers have a daily routine which involves driving or sitting on public transport, followed by eight hours or more of sitting at a desk, the same commute on the way home and then sitting on the couch in the evening.

Finding ways to fit exercise into the daily schedule can help to avoid health problems.

Sedentary lifestyles can result in: 

• Weakened muscles, slower circulation and joint pain
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Weight gain
• Premature death
• Metabolic syndrome
• More musculoskeletal problems
• Some types of cancer
• Depression
• Osteoarthritis

The impact of exercise on surgery

The fitter you are prior to surgery, the faster you are likely to recover. 

Patients with low cardiorespiratory health have been found to be five times more likely to die during or immediately after surgery, compared with people who are fitter.

Exercise during recovery

Exercise can quicken the pace of recovery after an accident or illness.

Anabolic hormones are required for wound recovery and a fast return to good health. The most effective way to create these is through exercise, as well as through adequate sleep and protein intake. This is particularly important as people age and the rate of natural production of anabolic hormones reduces. The exercise is most effective in short, regular bursts of activity rather than prolonged, occasional activity.

One of the dangers of being away from work due to illness or injury is a reduction in the amount of exercise conducted on a daily basis.

Ill or injured employees do better when they take responsibility for their health.  People may benefit from advice about appropriate exercises for their condition.  It can take time to build up to a full exercise program. 

Regular exercise results in:

• Reduced recovery times
• Weight maintenance
• Reduced risk of re-injury
• Reduced risk of depression
• Improved functionality

Returning to work

Returning to work can help to improve fitness, health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that a safe and fast return to work benefits the injured worker as they are more active. Use it or lose it, as they say.

Returning a worker to work is comparable to returning an Olympic athlete to competition after time away from sport. An appropriate exercise regime is important in the lead-up to their return.

Research in the Netherlands found that when there was a graded exercise program based on cognitive-behavioural principles, participants returned to work almost a month sooner than the participants who didn’t.

What can the workplace do?

• Implement health and wellbeing programs
• Consider offering reduced rates for joining gyms or sporting clubs
• Consider how work procedures might be varied to allow more movement
• Conduct ‘walk and talk’ or standing meetings
• Individualised employee counselling following a confidential employee health survey, conducted by nurses or health counsellors
• Encourage the use of stairs instead of lifts
• Develop an effective return to work policy

When a workplace exercise program is put in place, it’s important for employers to lead by example, encouraging their staff in physical activity. Workplace fitness programs tend to have the best outcomes when this occurs.

What do the studies say?

In 1990, a study was conducted in the US in which a stretching program was introduced for firefighters. In the two year follow up, it was found that that there were 52 injuries to people not involved in the stretching program, and 48 injuries to those who were involved in the program. While this is not a significant difference, the total cost of injuries was $83,372 for people who stretched, versus $235,131 for people who didn’t stretch.

In 2006, a study of stretching and individual manual handling/ergonomics training found a 67% decrease in lost time due to musculoskeletal injuries, and a 50% reduction in overall musculoskeletal injuries.

In 2005, at a BHP Billiton FIFO site, over 500 employees attended mandatory health assessments and were given individualised exercise programs and dietary advice, along with a medical referral if required. This action resulted in a 76% reduction in sprain and strain injuries over the two years which followed. There was also a 62% reduction in lost time days due to injury or illness.