Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

ObesitySickness absence managementWellbeing and health promotionSickness absenceWellbeing

Employers ‘not providing facilities that enable physical activity’

by Ashleigh Webber 2 Dec 2019
by Ashleigh Webber 2 Dec 2019 Almost half did not have access to physical activity provision such as bike storage.
Shutterstock
Almost half did not have access to physical activity provision such as bike storage.
Shutterstock

Eight in 10 (84%) workers are failing to achieve the minimum amount of physical activity recommended by the NHS, while many claim they do not have access to facilities that will enable them to become more active during their working day.

The average Briton spends seven hours and two minutes sat down per day, with more than a quarter (26%) sitting for nine hours or more, according to Westfield Health’s latest monthly Wellbeing Index.

Physical activity at work

GPs trial standing desks to encourage physical activity

Physical activity interventions need to be tailored to individual needs, report says

Only 16% met the NHS guidelines on physical activity, which include 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity and two strengthening activities working all major muscles per week. Almost one in five (18%) said they never exercised at all.

Time was the biggest barrier to meeting physical activity guidelines, cited by 32% of survey respondents.

Sixty-seven per cent of the 2,000 UK workers surveyed considered it the responsibility of their employer to support their physical wellbeing and fitness, yet around one in five rated the support their offered as being below average or very poor.

Westfield Health CEO Dave Capper said: “When it comes to physical wellbeing, the Wellbeing Index shows it’s not really a lack of awareness that’s the problem – people know the risks of a sedentary lifestyle – it’s a lack of responsibility.

“As individuals, only 12% of us are trying to reduce our sedentary time; as employers, we have to recognise just how much the structure of the work day and the office environment contribute to this escalating national health issue.”

Almost three-quarters (74%) of 250 HR professionals polled for the Wellbeing Index agreed that physical activity reduced the number of sick days being taken by their workforce, but 44% said their organisation was not considering more investment in this area.

Organisations also appeared to be lacking the facilities that support physical activity; 47% of employees did not have access to exercise provision such as bike storage, while three-quarters lacked changing and showering facilities at work.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Capper said: “When budgets are tight, it’s always hard to make the case for proactive investment. But ignoring people’s physical wellbeing has a significant impact on the bottom line that’s rarely acknowledged.

“UK businesses spend up to 16% of annual salary costs on absence and absence management. Yes, putting in showers, offering on-site classes or putting in an active space costs money, but the longer-term costs to individuals and companies of ignoring our physical wellbeing is so much higher.”

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
Disability pay gap narrows slightly to 12.2%
next post
UK faces university brain drain as EU academics quit posts

You may also like

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

‘Healthy work’ about much more than access to...

28 Apr 2025

Tool developed for employers to calculate cost of...

28 Apr 2025

Why employers must do more to support all...

24 Apr 2025

How to help employees quit vaping before new...

22 Apr 2025

NHS urging people to check for cancer warning...

22 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today