E-updates
CSW Sport Newsletter
View the other sections of the Physical Activity pages by clicking on the relevant section of the navigation bar to the left hand side.
Please note that the links that are listed are external sites and not managed by CSW Sport and so CSW Sport takes no responsibility for the contents within them.
- Increased productivity as people are at work more often and healthier, happier and more productive when they are at work.
- Improved health of employees including mental health problems such as stress
- Lower rates of absenteeism and quicker return to work after illness
- Greater staff retention
- Better morale, engagement and working atmosphere
- A good image to all stakeholders including customers, service users and prospective employees
- Fewer injuries at work
- Bottom line benefits as a result of all of the above
The Health and Safety Executive in 2006 estimated that in the UK there are 2.3 million ill health cases, 40 million working days lost and over 25000 individuals are forced to give up work because of injury or ill health. This has led to costs of between £3.3 and £6.5 billion each year.
The Chartered Institute for Innovation and Improvement (CIPD) in 2004 estimated that workplace absence averaged 9 days per employee per year and that the average reported cost of sickness absence is £588 per employee per year. In the same year the CBI projected that total cost of absence to British business is £11.6 million across the whole workforce.
With the health benefits of physical activity known, click here, and the fact that individuals who are regularly physically active are less likely than sedentary individuals to develop health problems there is a strong bottom line business case for investing in developing and supporting employees being physically active and taking a proactive approach to employees health and wellbeing.
There are a range of initiatives that can be developed within the workplace to make people more active.
Examples of initiatives could be:-
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Pedometer and other forms of challenges, individual or team based |
Establishing walking, cycling, swimming or running groups, eg lunchtime walking group |
Organising and competing in tournaments, leagues and sports matches with other organisations or internally, eg being part of a 5-a-side football league and mirror world cups |
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Developing walking, cycling or running leaflets for the local area of the organisation |
Entering teams into corporate events such as running races or charity challenges or participation in national weeks, eg cycling to work |
Promoting and encouraging active travel (walking and cycling to work), stair walking and being active generally |
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Offering activity classes and taster sessions or subsidised memberships for local sports provision such as leisure centres |
Establishing facilities for cycling, walking and running to and from work, eg showers and cycle storage, developing paths for walking and cycling and other facilities such as gyms and giving access to open spaces for other activities |
Developing strategies and policies that support being active, in and out of work and influencing local infrastructure planning to support people being active such as being part of one of the Government’s Cycle to work schemes so that employees can purchase tax free bikes and/or cycle mileage allowances, |
See the above table in as a pdf version here
Have a look at the Events in the Sub Region page for events and challenges that may be open for corporate entries or events that employees might be interested in participating in generally. Why not enter a team or encourage your employees/work mates to enter? There are a number of benefits such as raising money for charities, getting employees active, improving PR for the company or improve team working among others.
Healthy Workforce Challenge - why not try an 8 week challenge, that has been tried in practice, within your own workforce using this resource?
Sportmakers, the national initiative inspired by London 2012, about inspiring volunteers who are 16+ to volunteer and inspire other people who are 16+, to join in a sporting activity. There is huge potential for this initiative in the workplace setting. Become a Sportmaker today by visiting the Sportmakers website!
North Warwickshire Borough Council or contact Jo Rooke, Community Development Officer, Health Improvement, ,
Solihull Active at Work project, or contact Jo Baker, Active@Work Project Manager, and
West Midlands regional Health Work and Well-being Co-ordinator – and
For other areas please contact the local authority sports development team or email to help you find out who your best contact would be in your local area.
See the Links as a pdf version here
You can click on the blue links to visit the relevant websites. See also the Activity links page to view links on specific activities and on the Be Active in your local area to view links to opportunities in local areas.
British Heart Foundation (BHF) Think Fit, promoting workplace health and wellbeing (newsletter available) and publications
The government’s tax free cycle to work scheme . The Cyclescheme is one company that facilitates the scheme. Please note that there are a number of companies that are facilitators of the scheme
Health, Work and Wellbeing, government led initiative that aims to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of working age people
Walking Works, part of the Living Streets’ set of campaigns, is a campaign to get us all walking more in our daily lives
Walkit.com, the urban walking route planner.
British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health (BHFNC)
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace and other publications
Business in the Community, Workplace Health and Wellbeing
ACT Travelwise, networking organisation that promotes sustainable travel
Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity
Travel Actively, a consortium of the leading walking, cycling and health organisations
Sustainable Travel section, Department for Transport
Change4life, Employer's Toolkit
Cycle Friendly Employers, resources for employers on cycling
NHS Choices Live Well, Healthy Living Advice
If any of the above information or links are inaccurate or not working please email