The data: how sedentary work is shaping employee health
In 2026, EGYM Hussle commissioned the YouGov ‘Work is Health’ survey, and the results show how modern work is impacting wellbeing:
- 70% of those surveyed say their work routine increases sedentary behaviour
- 62% are concerned about the long-term health impact of their job
- 52% report a decline in physical health (the highest across countries surveyed)
- 41% say work negatively impacts their mental wellbeing
- 34% report reduced performance due to health issues in the past year
But all is not lost – the survey also reported that 77% of respondents say they are physically active at least weekly (but only 17% exercise every day). These stats suggest that while many employees are active in theory, it’s not enough to offset the impact of long periods of sitting and screen time at work.
Activity alone can’t solve the sedentary problem
The UK reports higher levels of weekly physical activity than the global average. But it also shows higher levels of physical health decline, more sedentary behaviour linked to work routines, and significant sleep disruption. In other words, going to the gym once or twice a week isn’t cancelling out 8+ hours of sitting per day.
The risk factors are particularly visible in key groups:
- Mid-career employees (35-44 year-olds) are more likely to say their work reinforces a sedentary lifestyle (77%) and report higher mental fatigue (50%)
- 18-34 year old employees are more active (87% weekly), but also more concerned about long-term health (71%)
- Women tend to report higher levels of stress (47%) and place greater importance on flexibility (81%)
Flexible wellbeing strategies need to be embedded into the working day, not left to personal time or tied to one location.
The business impact of sedentary work
Sedentary workplaces don’t just affect individuals. They create measurable business risks:
- Physical health risks: Prolonged sitting is linked to musculoskeletal issues, cardiovascular risk, and metabolic issues. With over half of employees reporting declining physical health, this becomes a workplace issue, not just a personal one.
- Mental wellbeing and stress: The data shows a connection between sedentary routines and mental strain with 41% of those surveyed reporting negative mental wellbeing impact.
- Productivity and performance: 34% of employees surveyed say health issues have impacted their performance at work. Fatigue, poor sleep, and low energy don’t stay at home, they come with your colleagues to meetings, deadlines, and decision-making tasks.
- Retention and engagement: 60% of those surveyed say workplace wellbeing influences their decision to stay with an employer, but only 36% are satisfied with their company’s wellbeing resources. This represents a real opportunity for organisations who get employee wellbeing right.
Practical ways to reduce sedentary risk at work
Tackling sedentary behaviour doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your workplace and employee benefits. The biggest shift is encouraging a shift away from “exercise outside work” to “movement during work”.
- Make movement normal: Build movement into the working day with walking meetings, regular screen breaks, standing desks, and short movement prompts during long meetings. The goal is to normalise movement, not make it an extra task.
- Offer flexibility: According to the survey, flexibility is the top driver of wellbeing (75%). When employees have more control over time and location of fitness, they are more likely to fit it into their day. Make sure your employee benefits offer flexible fitness options.
- Movement to support mental health: Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and improve mood. Encourage lunchtime walks, low-pressure team activities, and access to different types of fitness (not just one local gym).
- Employee wellbeing benefits: According to the survey, only 36% feel their workplace health and wellbeing resources are satisfactory. Make your fitness benefits flexible, to work for hybrid and remote teams as well as office-based colleagues.
- A culture that supports movement: Leadership and culture are the second biggest driver of wellbeing (72%), coming a close second to flexibility. Make movement part of your workplace, with managers modelling healthy behaviours and wellbeing actively encouraged, even during busy periods.
A simple place to start
If you’re marking On Your Feet Britain, use it as a starting point to make year-round change in your organisation. It could look something like this:
- Run an ‘On Your Feet Britain’ awareness campaign: Use this national event as a catalyst to spark conversations and encourage immediate action across the office or remote teams.
- Ask employees what would help them be more active: Gathering direct feedback ensures that any new initiatives actually address the specific barriers your team faces.
- Introduce one new initiative or opportunity for movement: Start small to ensure sustainability—whether it’s a “no-email Friday” that encourages desk-side chats or a team step challenge.
- Assess your employee wellbeing benefits for suitability: Review your current offerings to ensure they are flexible enough to support hybrid workers and diverse fitness levels.
Supporting employee wellbeing through movement
Sedentary work isn’t going away, but the way we design work around it can change. The opportunity is there to embed movement, support wellbeing, and create a healthier way of working.
EGYM Hussle helps organisations with flexible fitness and wellbeing benefits designed for office workers, hybrid and remote, shift workers and every member of your team.
To find out how you can reduce sedentary risk with flexible fitness benefits, book a call with EGYM Hussle today.
This survey was collected on the YouGov Panels, among 1000 employees of private companies of each country. Fieldworks were conducted from the 19th to 27th of august 2025 in France, Germany and the USA, and from the 25th of February until the 6th of march 2026 in the UK.
The figures have been weighted and are representative of employed adults aged 18 and over of each country.
