A worksite wellness program that includes a physical activity component can help maintain a healthier workforce. A healthier workforce can benefit from reduced direct costs associated with health care expenses. The worksite wellness program also has potential to increase employees’ productivity, reduce absenteeism, and increase morale. Additionally, these programs are often seen as a central component of an attractive employee compensation and benefits package that can be used as a recruitment and retention tool to attract and keep high quality employees. Worksites can encourage physical activity through a multicomponent approach of offering management support, physical access to opportunities, policies, and social support programs.

Regardless of size, resources, setting, and type all worksites can provide opportunities to promote physical activity for their employees.  NV Snap-ed supports worksite wellness programs to increase physical activity because of the following:

• Only half of all American adults report meeting the physical activity guidelines.
• Each day in the United States, more than 150 million American adults participate in the labor force.
• With employees spending 7.6 hours a day on average at their place of employment, worksites provide a unique setting to promote practices that can significantly increase physically active employees and potentially affect the health of millions of working adults.
• Many barriers to physical activity can be addressed by worksite physical activity programs.

Here are some resources to get yourself active throughout the day, no matter the circumstances.

1. 20 Essential Desk Exercises You Can Do Without Leaving Your Office or Home Workspace: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/hq_deskfit_booklet_6.10.2020.pdf
2. CDC Workplace Health Resource Center: https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/index.html
3. Guide to help integrate physical activity into the workday: https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/initiatives/resource-center/pdf/Workplace-Physical-Activity-Break-Guide-508.pdf
4. Staying Active While Social Distancing:  https://health.gov/news/202004/staying-active-while-social-distancing-questions-and-answers