How to introduce the practice of running in your company?

We all know the positive impact of physical activity on mental health! Indeed, physical activity would act as a treatment and prevention of depression and anxiety disorders by having a positive impact on the stress level, mood, self-esteem and social relationships of individuals.

To find out more on the subject, we invite you to take a look at the article How can physical activity help improve mental health in companies?

On the other hand investing in corporate health has a host of advantages. Here they are :

reduction in the absenteeism rate;
increased productivity;
building team spirit;
workforce attraction and retention;
equip employees to eat better and better manage stress on a daily basis.

Establishing a physical activity program within your company seems to be an ideal solution to improve the mental health of employees while improving the atmosphere and performance at work.

Moreover, a Swedish study carried out in 2011 is consistent with this. In fact, it divided 177 dental sector employees into 3 groups:

1st group: control group therefore no change to their habits;
2nd group: reduction of 2,5 hours of work per week;
3rd group: reduction of 2,5 hours of work per week which was replaced by physical activity.

After a year, here are the researchers' findings:

The first group experienced an increase in absenteeism;
The 2nd group experienced an increase in productivity;
The 3rd group experienced an increase in productivity and a decrease in their absenteeism rate.

We therefore notice the positive impact of physical activity and the negative impact of overwork.

Running as a springboard

If no program is implemented within your company, we strongly suggest that you start with running or walking. For what? Simply because this physical activity requires little equipment (sneakers), little infrastructure and is accessible to everyone (or almost).

Here are the 3 steps to implementing a running/walking program within your company:

Mobilize your colleagues

We suggest you carry out a simple initiative linked to your objective. This could be, for example, going out for some fresh air during lunch time with your colleagues at least once a week, then gradually increasing the frequency of outings and inviting other departments to join you.

After a few weeks, you may be surprised by the enthusiasm for the activity... the surprise will be equivalent to management.

2. Prepare and present your plan

In most companies, someone will have to make a rational decision on the proposal.

It is therefore essential to prepare to identify the benefits as well as the costs expected from the project, in order to highlight the full potential.

Also be sure to identify benefits that are important and valued in your workplace. If, for example, your company struggles to retain and recruit staff, it may be wise to emphasize this point.

When your plan is put together, present it to the responsible people which may differ depending on the company you are in:

The direction
The human resources department
The social committee
The OHS committee
The sustainable development committee

3. Motivate your colleagues

Once your plan is accepted (hopefully), it will now be time to motivate the troops to adhere to the programs.

If you have the support of a committee, it may be relevant to call on it to convey the information (internal display, intranet, newsletters, etc.). Be sure to include all levels (walkers and runners) and inform all staff in order to reach a larger number of followers.

Subsequently, establish a schedule that will suit everyone: the ideal would be around lunchtime so as not to conflict with the family management of some and encroach on working hours.

To start, we recommend one outing per week, lasting around thirty minutes. You are free to modify the schedule later, depending on popularity.

Corporate Challenge

Are you looking to mobilize your colleagues through a turnkey challenge? Are you looking for a positive project that will allow you to set a common goal, while being very safe? THE Corporate Challenge is designed for you with its simple and effective three-month corporate health program, ending with a unifying event in May and June.