What are the best ways to help staff be healthy and active?<\/h2>\nProvide flexible options for physical activity<\/h3>\n
People like to engage with fitness and physical activity in their own way. Give your employees plenty of variety so they can find something they\u2019ll love. A corporate gym access benefit<\/a> is a great start, but don\u2019t stop there. How about a company running club, walking group, wellness workshops, or simply a Slack chat for finding a workout buddy? Listen to what your people want and try \u2013 as far as possible \u2013 to facilitate it.<\/p>\n Healthy eating is a critical part of the employee wellness piece, and can make a big difference to obesity rates, long-term health issues, and even mental wellbeing. How can you encourage people to eat better on site, in meetings, whilst travelling, and even in hybrid or WFH situations? You can\u2019t dictate what adults eat, but you can educate, incentivise, and gently support habit change.<\/p>\n Offering gym access as an employee benefit<\/a> is a must, but it must match the way your people work. It won\u2019t work to simply offer discounted access to a single site gym in town (or have an on-site gym). Give staff plenty of choice and options about when, where, and even how they want to exercise. A good way to do this is using a partner like Hussle to unlock access to a huge network of gyms and fitness centres around the country.<\/p>\n There are lots of reasons to explain people\u2019s poor eating habits or aversion to exercise. Gaps in education or understanding, no support at home, lack of role models or positive examples. Sometimes people simply don\u2019t know where to start. You can help by providing education around healthy eating, exercise, and generally being more active. This could be in the form of resources, groups, workshops from external partners, or your own corporate benefits programme.<\/p>\n Within your workforce you are likely to have keen exercisers and total beginners. Can you leverage the enthusiasm and achievements of those already engaging in physical activity? Use your newsletter, socials, or internal comms to spotlight fitness achievements or remarkable stories. Have peer to peer activity champions who could support others. Create a culture of health and activity that enables everyone to take part.<\/p>\n Office culture can be a barrier to healthy eating. Look at ways to move away from birthday cakes, free doughnuts, and the 11am coffee shop dash (complete with flaky pastries). Encourage healthier food choices, or side step food options entirely and bring in new, non-food ways to celebrate birthdays and client wins.<\/p>\n Architects and interior designers are becoming more interested in building healthy spaces that encourage wellbeing, because they recognise the impact our environment has on our health. How can you redesign your office layout \u2013 or the way your people work \u2013 to minimise sitting and maximise movement? Encourage delivering messages to colleagues in person rather than by email, or walk-and-talk meetings rather than a boardroom option.<\/p>\n The best way to encourage a healthier workforce is to create a corporate culture that promotes health and wellbeing<\/a>. Encourage conversations about fitness, healthy eating, activity, and healthy habits<\/a>. Ask for ideas about changes people would like to see implemented. Make it easier, more enjoyable, and more beneficial for people to make healthy choices. After all, it\u2019s the small habits that build up to make a big difference.<\/p>\n Promoting a culture of health and wellbeing not only benefits individual employees<\/a>, but enhances your company’s performance and reputation. Encouraging healthier choices, both in the workplace and outside of it, will contribute to the health of the nation as a whole and ultimately lead to the success of your business.<\/p>\n It\u2019s no longer acceptable to treat corporate fitness benefits<\/a> as a tick box exercise. Your staff members have so much choice outside of the workplace \u2013 from budget gyms to leisure centres, sports clubs and online fitness offers. You need to design a corporate fitness benefit that accurately reflects how, when, and where your people want to engage in fitness.<\/p>\n Hussle offers access to a varied network of 1,000+ gyms<\/a>, pools, fitness centres and online fitness options for a single membership. Talk to us to see how partnering with Hussle for your corporate fitness benefit can give your people the choice and variety they need from a discounted gym membership<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” min_height=”326px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Elevate-Employee-Wellness.png” alt=”Elevate employee wellness with corporate gym membership” title_text=”Elevate Employee Wellness” url=”https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/employers” url_new_window=”on” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You might not need your workforce to be elite athletes, but physical health forms the foundation for mental wellbeing, self-esteem, and employee satisfaction. As an employer, there\u2019s plenty you can do to support your people in leading healthier lives during work hours and in their own time. Promoting a culture of employee wellbeing doesn\u2019t have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":9310,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n When you're looking to increase fitness<\/b><\/a>, stamina, or perhaps lose a bit of weight, we've all been told the top tip of taking the stairs rather than the lift. Increasing your heart rate and working the muscle in your legs, workouts with a step have been popular since the 1980s. Since the days of step classes and neon Lycra.<\/p>\r\n\r\n But the step machine in the gym can get overlooked. It gets branded as boring. Truth is, the stair climber can deliver an efficient and well rounded workout, whether used as part of a wider gym routine or on its own for a whole workout<\/a> session.<\/p>\r\n\r\n So let's delve into the stair climber benefits. You might soon find yourself swapping that treadmill workout for a stair climber workout. Or combining the two.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n The stair climber does what it says on the tin and simulates walking up stairs. Unlike some of the other scary looking gym equipment<\/a>, it's very easy to use. It rotates steps to simulate climbing a flight of stairs and you can vary the resistance and speed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n There are two types of gym stepper machines, the pedal type steppers and the step mill.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The pedal steppers require you to push down on pedals and keep your body mostly still as you do so meaning it gets your core more involved. Whack up the resistance or take smaller or larger steps as you prefer, to vary the difficulty level.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The step mill is more like a traditional flight of stairs, that moves like an escalator. Up the speed or take the steps two at a time for a more challenging workout variation.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n StairMaster is actually a brand. Hence the use of capital letters. Call it a step machine, stepper, stair stepper, StairMaster, stepmill, Power Climb mill, stairclimber or stepping machine \u2013 they are all the same thing.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n The golden rule is: don\u2019t slouch. Step machine benefits are maximised when you hold the handrail as little as possible and keep your core strong. Keep your feet flat and avoid coming up onto your tiptoes. Don\u2019t let your knees stick forward of your toes. If your knee comes forward too much it stresses your knee joint and quadriceps tendon.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n Stair climber benefits are huge. A step machine workout is a good bit of cardiovascular exercise, burning calories as it increases your heart rate and gets your blood pumping. If weight loss<\/b><\/a> is your goal, you can help create that calorie deficit here. It's also low impact compared with other cardio machine workouts, like the treadmill. A plus for those with joint issues.<\/p>\r\n\r\n But it can also double as strength training<\/b><\/a>. The repetitive motion of using your legs to push yourself up is a great way to test that endurance and activate the muscles in your lower body<\/a>. Stair climber workouts are great if you're looking to tone your lower body.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Additionally, this exercise gives your core muscles a decent workout too. Having to readjust your balance as you climb helps you to develop a stronger core<\/b><\/a>. Make sure you keep an eye on your posture to make this efficient and ease lower back pain. <\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n It definitely lets you be more efficient with your stair climbing workout. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Real stairs don't provide you with differing levels of resistance like the stepper in the gym. The harder your step, the harder your muscles are working, and the more likely you are to start to tone your lower body.<\/p>\r\n\r\n An interesting point is that if you\u2019re climbing real stairs, you're going to be coming down them again. Going downstairs can place a strain on your joints, especially the knees. Anyone who's experienced knee problems like runner's knee will know the pain of walking down stairs. As you are always on the upward climb on the stair stepper, there is no strain on your joints.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n If you're new to it, start with 15 minutes. That way you can test out your resistance and speed. Gradually build up so you can stay on the stair climber for 30 minutes. For the average person, a 30 minute stair climber session can burn around 200-300 calories.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Aim for a speed of about 60-80 steps a minute. But it's also great to mix it up. Try periods of faster speed or increased resistance followed by rest. That way you can build up both your stamina, endurance, and give every muscle in your lower body a good workout.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n The benefits of gym treadmills are that you run less risk of injury than pounding the pavements. Gym treadmills are easier on your joints than a hard concrete pavement and there\u2019s no injury-causing uneven ground to worry about. As a general rule, running is an extremely efficient cardio and therefore calorie burning activity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Gym stair steppers share the same benefits of the reduced impact, but aren't as calorie busting as running. However, it can be seen as a form of strength training too, which running can't really. Stair climbers can work every muscle in your legs if you're using them correctly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n And if you're the clumsy type, it\u2019s hard to fall off a stair stepper. So if you like to zone out and watch TV in the gym while you exercise, this one is for you.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n The burn belly fat question is one that comes up every time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Whilst you can\u2019t spot reduce and target fat loss to particular areas of your body, you can burn belly fat by reducing the overall amount of calories that you take on board and burning fat with aerobic exercise. Therefore the stair stepper will burn belly fat as part of a calorie burning workout, as it is a good aerobic exercise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Stair climber workouts also works your stomach muscles and strengthens your core, engaging those muscles underneath the belly fat and helping to keep your tummy toned.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n There are plenty of gyms with StairMasters. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Most gyms will have a StairMaster or similar machine. If you\u2019re not sure if your favourite gym has a stair climber, ask one of the gym instructors. Just as you would expect to find a treadmill in most gyms, you can expect to find a stepping machine too, especially in the larger gyms.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n The beauty of the stair climber is there are actually lots of variations you can do on the machine in addition to just walking up stairs.<\/p> \r\n\r\n Incorporating additional movements such as a lunge, a squat, an overhead press, or even adding a resistance band is a great way to making your workout<\/a> even more efficient at working the muscles in your body.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZfjoRT8Zl48\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\nEncourage healthier eating in and out of work<\/h3>\n
Employee fitness benefits and discounted corporate gym access<\/h3>\n
Provide education about fitness and healthy habits<\/h3>\n
Celebrate movement milestones and champion activity<\/h3>\n
Think beyond birthday-cake office culture<\/h3>\n
Less sitting, more movement office design<\/h3>\n
Bring fitness and wellbeing to the top of conversations<\/h3>\n
Why is it important to encourage health and wellbeing at work<\/h2>\n
Corporate gym membership that your workforce will actually use<\/h2>\n
What is the stair climber?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
What is the difference between a StairMaster and a stepmill?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
How do you use the stair climber?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
What does the stair climber do for your body?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
Is the stair climber in the gym better than real stairs?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
How long should you stay on the stair climber?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
Which is better, the treadmill or stair climber?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
Does the stair climber burn belly fat?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
Where can I use a Stair Master?<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
Stair climber workouts<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n
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