Of respondents to the Steelcase Workplace Index Survey, 62 percent said not having an appropriate place to exercise at work was the primary reason they did not exercise during work hours.
At the same time, 80 percent of workers said that exercise has, or would have, a positive impact on their well being and 78 percent said exercise has, or would have, a positive impact on their overall productivity at work. Of the respondents who said they wished their company provided exercise options, 80 percent said they would use such equipment at least every other day.
“Exercise is critical to our health and well-being, and it is very easy to let fitness fall by the wayside when working in a corporate environment with demanding schedules and workloads,” said Steelcase’s Chris Congdon. “This survey reveals a desire by employees to have access to exercise equipment at work, and/or support from their companies to exercise during the work day, which could also benefit corporations with a desire to improve worker satisfaction, wellness and productivity.”
Among the workers who did exercise during the day, 85 percent choose to walk, 25 percent go to a nearby gym and 19 percent do some form of exercise at their desk.
For the 69 percent of workers who do not exercise during the workday, Steelcase reported, common reasons were: not having an appropriate place to do so (62 percent); fitness is not a priority (22 percent); it is frowned upon at the workplace (19 percent); and not having enough energy during the day (14 percent).
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Steelcase Inc.