By R.J. Ignelzi
Copley News Service
While some employees meet up for a midday pizza or burger, Qualcomm legal secretary Kim Carey has a regular lunch date with the company treadmill.
Instead of downing a brew after work, Solar Turbines engineer Scott Thompson is more likely to be doing the Downward Dog in his on-site yoga class.
And, as many Sempra Energy workers grab a coffee or smoke during their break, others try to grab their toes in the twice-a-day staff stretching session.
From sweating it out in the corporate fitness center to learning to kayak on weekends with colleagues, an increasing number of employees are exercising company health and fitness perks and finding that workplace workouts work.
“Workplace health and fitness programs benefit the company as much as the employee,” said Vicki Wilson, Solar Turbines’ health and fitness coordinator. “Fit and healthy employees mean higher productivity, lower absenteeism and lower health care claims.”
If that’s not enough, studies say employers’ efforts pay off in better employee attitude.
“Our surveys show that if there’s evidence of an employer’s concern about the health and well being of employees, it improves employee morale,” said LuAnn Heinen, director of the Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity, part from the Washington, D.C.-based National Business Group on Health. “A healthy employee is a happy employee.”
Soaring insurance costs – medical benefits costs have nearly doubled for many companies in the past five years – and a broader awareness of the health costs associated with obesity, smoking, stress and other lifestyle issues have helped to fuel the push to get employees moving.
Heinen’s group found that of 84 U.S. companies surveyed, 77 percent have an on-site fitness center, 69 percent have on-site fitness programs and 38 percent have Web-based tools that offer online health appraisals and guidance in weight loss, stress management and disease prevention.
Since so many people spend so much time on the job, it makes sense to incorporate a health and fitness program into the workday or make it available on the work site.
“The convenience factor is huge. The No. 1 barrier to people exercising is the perception that they don’t have time,” said exercise physiologist Richard Cotton, spokesman for the American Council on Exercise and founder of myexerciseplan.com.
“Workplace fitness programs let employees exercise before work, during lunch or after work. It’s not a big additional commute, and they fit it right into their schedule.”
Different companies are approaching wellness in different ways.
Some large workplaces like the Pfizer Lab in San Diego, Qualcomm and Solar Turbines offer employees fitness centers that rival first-class health clubs.
Pfizer’s luxurious, full-service fitness center, which cost $250,000 to build and charges employees $24 per month to use, is staffed by three full-time fitness specialists who offer exercise guidance, personal training, health and fitness assessments and group exercise classes. Company grounds include a jogging track that’s spawned an active running club.
Pfizer workouts seem to be doing the job for research associate Amy LaPaglia. She lost 35 pounds this past year, thanks in part to the company fitness program. Three or four afternoons a week, about the time of day she’s yearning for a candy bar, she heads down to the fitness center.
“It’s right here, so I have no excuses not to use it. Plus, I feel so good afterward,” said the 28-year-old who does a mix of strength training and cardiovascular exercises.
Other employers such as Sempra Energy don’t offer workers an on-site facility but sponsor discounted off-site gym memberships. A few have walking and running clubs, finding that group movement is motivating.
Sempra encourages desk-bound employees to use their 15-minute breaks to get outside, stretch their legs and rev up their heart rate. One-mile, 15-minute power walks are led a couple times a day. At lunchtime, there’s a longer three-mile, 40-minute walk.
Sempra executive assistant Debbie Sheets has logged over 1,535 miles in the last nine months on lunchtime walks.
“The walks are great. Just being away from the desk and getting some fresh air helps me feel more energetic and gets me through the afternoon,” she said.
Companies of all sizes are offering employees healthier cafeteria fare with salad bars, fresh fruit and a variety of bottled water, juices and teas. While sodas, chips and doughnuts are still available, most workplaces offer some kind of nutritious alternative.
“Our cafeteria offers something to fit into every diet,” said Allen Carrier, Pfizer spokesman. “There are choices for the Atkins diet, South Beach Diet, low-fat diet and vegetarians.”
Companies such as Solar Turbines and Qualcomm have moved fitness beyond the gym and traditional sweaty workout. Although both offer 24/7 fitness centers, with the latest equipment and a variety of group exercise classes, they also try to attract the exercise-shy.
One of the most popular fitness programs at Qualcomm is “exercise-light,” a concept designed to “simply get people out of their chairs and moving,” said David Beadle, manager of Qualcomm’s human resources and an exercise physiologist.
“We’re looking for those who don’t exercise regularly and may be too intimidated to even walk in the door of a fitness center.”
With minimal sweating, exercise-light participants don’t even have to change into workout clothes for the classes, which are both indoors and outdoors and offer a workout mix of flexibility, strength training and a little cardio.
Both Qualcomm and Solar have tried to put the fun into their fitness programs, engaging employees in activities they enjoy instead of ones that are simply good for them.
“We found that when people are passionate about something, that’s a good thing for their health because they usually figure out a way to get more of it,” Beadle said.
In addition to offering an outdoor recreation complex for the court sports fan, Solar also provides a networking opportunity for the sports enthusiast. Solar Employees Recreation Association is 25 to 30 activity groups ranging from the bowling club to the triathlon club, which meet and workout together at their sport.
Qualcomm wanted to give employees the chance to not only engage in their favorite activities, but also to experience things they’d never done before. The company offers 30 to 40 “learn to” classes, including scuba diving, kayaking, tennis, volleyball, swimming, sailing and golf. Held after work and on weekends, all of the classes are open to employee family members and are paid for by the employee. The company simply facilitates the process and brings them together.
The recreational classes have enabled Qualcomm patent attorney David Kordich to expand his exercise repertoire. In addition to using the corporate gym, he also takes advantage of the classes and tries out new sports, including hiking, scuba diving, surfing and golfing.
“I’ve always exercised,” said 49-year-old Kordich. “But, now with these classes I’m able to get in my exercise but also do fun stuff.”
SIDEBAR
Fit things your boss can do
Copley News Service
Is your workplace health and fitness program a bit flabby? The following suggestions may help you and your employer tone it up.
– Ask employer to subsidize employee memberships to off-site health clubs.
– Encourage employer to hold annual health and fitness fairs or once-a-year health screening to monitor employee blood pressure, body fat and cholesterol and to offer healthy living tips.
– Ask employer to sponsor walkers or runners in local charity walks and runs. Not only is it good corporate exposure, it also prods employees to get in shape for the competition.
– Encourage employer to host health and fitness speakers. Groups such as the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society often have a free speakers bureau and can offer employees important health information and materials.
– Ask your employer to offer a salad bar in the cafeteria and replace some of the vending machine chips and pastries with healthier fare.
– Ask employer to offer online health and fitness coaching programs for the employees.
– So more employees might be encouraged to ride bikes to work, ask employer to provide secure storage for bikes.
– As a favor to all employees, ask your employer to install showers in the men’s and women’s rooms.
SIDEBAR
Employer no help? Take charge
Copley News Service
If workplace health and fitness is left up to you, the following tips can help you and your colleagues shape up.
– Ask a nearby fitness center for a corporate group discount. Many health clubs will offer 15 percent to 30 percent off fees if groups of six or more join.
– Organize after-work or weekend group activity lessons with fellow employees. Follow up with group outings such as ski trips, scuba dives or golf tournaments.
– Form a lunchtime or after-work running or walking club with fellow employees. Exercising with others can be a great motivating force.
– Organize a video/CD-led exercise class. All you need is an empty conference room or auditorium, a VCR or DVD player, a couple of good instructional exercise tapes and some willing participants.
– Hire an exercise instructor to come to the work site once or twice a week to teach a yoga or strength-training class. (Many personal trainers do off-site group exercise instruction.) Participants can split the instructor’s fee.
– Once every couple of weeks hold a healthful picnic lunch with fellow workers. Everyone bring a nutritious dish to share along with copies of the recipe to expand healthful menu repertoire.
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