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National Employee Health and Fitness Day
Facts:
In 2003 the Governor’s Council and the Michigan Department of Community Health issued a report projecting over $12.65 billion of costs in 2007 related to the physical inactivity of Michigan residents.
According to a 2002 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study, companies with physical activity programs for employees have reduced health care costs by 20 to 55 percent, reduced short-term sick leave by up to 32 percent and increased productivity by up to 52 percent.
Healthy employees translate into a thriving business:
“Michigan Surgeon General Healthy Workplace Facts”
History:
NEHFD is a national health observance created to promote the benefits of physical activity for individuals through their work site health promotion activities and is administered annually by the National Association for Health & Fitness. Since 1989, NEHFD has enlisted tens of thousands of participants from employers around the world.
Celebrate NEHFD:
May 19, 2010
There are countless things your worksite can do to celebrate NEHFD. Here are just a few ideas:
- Host a “fitness walk” during lunch break; ask the CEO to lead a fitness walk with employees.
- Give employees a pedometer and encourage them to take a few extra steps in honor of NEHFD. Offer health related prizes for those who take the most steps, or provide each participant with a healthy snack or reward.
- Provide prize drawings (health/fitness related items) throughout the day for participating in a “fitness walk” or walking/riding a bike to work that day.
- Create an indoor walking course at your worksite or around your building with directional signs encouraging the use of stairwells and designated stretching areas.
- Leave a piece of fruit at each employee’s workstation with a physical activity/nutrition message.
- Encourage employees to be active during their work day by holding a “worksite relay” where employees take the stairs to deliver the baton to an employee on a different floor (include a check list with employee names and floor locations).
- Organize an employee outing at a local park on NEHFD with a picnic lunch and outdoor sports (volleyball, Frisbee™, softball, etc.)
- Invite an expert or local instructor to teach a class focused on stretching exercises that office workers can perform at their desks each day.
Promote a healthy workplace year-round
- Encourage employees to “Smart Commute” by walking, biking, or using public transportation to go to work or meetings/errands during their workday. Your community may have a smart commute program. Find out more at http://mismartcommute.org/.
- Encourage employees to “take 10”—a 10-minute physical activity break during their workday.
- Visit the Business Section of the Michigan Steps Up Web site. Your worksite can complete the Designing Healthy Environments at Work (DHEW) Assessment Tool to determine more ways to create/maintain a healthy work environment.
- Provide healthy snacks in break room.
- Encourage staff to complete a Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) Tool on the Michigan Surgeon General’s Web site.
- Provide employees with an opportunity to sign up for discounted gym membership. (Perhaps your local YMCA would provide a free day pass for every employee.)
- Encourage employees to hand-deliver messages instead of using e-mail or voicemail
Resources:
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