Physical Activity in the Workplace

Some ways you can create a supportive environment for physical activity in your workplace:

• Provide secure bike storage, change rooms, shower facilities, lockers, and safe and clean stairwells. 
• Move office equipment, such as printers, into a common space to encourage employees to leave their desks.
• Offer active workstations like standing desks or walking pads. 
• Provide educational sessions/programs and email reminders on the benefits of physical activity and maps for walking/rolling and cycling routes around your workplace.
• Promote casual dress code to encourage active commuting or being active during breaks and lunch hour. 
• Provide designated exercise spaces with fitness equipment inclusive of all abilities (e.g., yoga mats, weights, posters with examples of stretches and body-weight exercises, etc.).
• Design work sites with green spaces, way-finding signs, and safe pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users.

Some policies you can create to support physical activity:

• Flexible work arrangements for employees, such as starting work earlier or later, taking longer lunch breaks by extending the workday, or telecommuting.
• Support active commuting with reduced fare transit passes, active commuting mileage reimbursement, bonuses or subsidized Hamilton Bike Share.
• Subsidized active living supports, such as corporate rate or subsidized gym memberships or recreation passes, subsidized home exercise equipment and standing desks.
• Develop corporate policies that reduce sedentary behaviour, such as no meetings over lunch; encourage employees to take breaks, hold walking/rolling meetings and add movement breaks in meetings that are one hour or longer.
• Advocate for an active community with pedestrian-friendly and bike-able streets, mixed-use neighbourhoods, compact design, and a transit-oriented culture.

Always consult with the appropriate legal and risk management advisors within your workplace to ensure that all due diligence requirements are in place when you are developing policies or programs for your workplace.

Hamilton employers and their employees can access the following resources to support physical activity:

Adults 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64.

Smart Commute
For Employers - Become a Smart Commute Member Organization.
For Employees - Provides commute opportunities such as carpool matching, trip planning, and trip logging.

Hamilton Bike Share
Hamilton Bike Share - public bike share transit system.

Recreation Assistance Program
Subsidized recreation passes for employees/residents who meet the income level criteria.

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
Information for employers and employees on active living at work, stretching at the workstation, sit/stand desk ergonomics and posters.