Benefits | Physical Activity Interventions

Health benefits for physical activity1-3

Employee health benefits are part of an overall compensation package and affect an employee’s willingness to seek preventive services and clinical care.

Partnering with local fitness facilities such as local gyms, YMCAs, and similar programs can increase employee physical activity

  • Enhancing access to places for physical activity combined with information outreach is an important strategy to encourage employees to become more physically active
  • Not all worksites have facilities, classes, or space for physical activity programs and some employees may find membership fees or a facility’s hours of operation prohibitive to participating.
  • While not an evidence-based community guideexternal icon recommendation, employers can provide opportunities and reduce barriers related to access or cost by partnering with local fitness facilities. Implementing an incentive where memberships are provided to local fitness facilities and physical activity programs and membership fees are reduced or subsidized can increase access and reduce barriers such as cost for employees
References

1.  Hunnicutt D, Chapman LS, editors. Designing wellness incentives part I. WELCOA: Absolute Advantage. 2005;4(7).

2.  VanWormer JJ, Pronk NP. Rewarding change: principles for implementing worksite incentive programs. In: Pronk NP, editor. ACSM’s worksite health handbook, 2nd edition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2009. p. 239-247.

3.  Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity Program, Wisconsin Partnership for Activity and Nutrition. Wisconsin. Worksite Resource Kit to Prevent Obesity and Related Chronic Diseases. Step 5: Making Decisions – Where to Focus Your Efforts. p. 36.