Movement is much more than an exercise program; it's a purpose-driven system that should be an integral component of corporate wellness programs. (Photo: Shutterstock)
When it comes to corporate fitness, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a fitness center with aerobics, kickboxing and Zumba classes. But something much simpler may be the next big thing in corporate fitness: movement!
The way we move our bodies—whether at home, on the job or out in the world—affects almost everything we do. When our movement is off, muscular imbalances can lead to pain or injury and prevent us from living the life we want.
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The impact of musculoskeletal pain
More than 124 million Americans over age 18 report having musculoskeletal medical conditions. And some of the most significant contributing factors are sedentary behaviors, like prolonged sitting and low physical activity.
Unfortunately, the shift to remote work has intensified this issue ever further. While working from home, 70% of employees with musculoskeletal pain said their condition worsened or they're experiencing new pain.
What's more, according to a Business Group on Health survey, musculoskeletal pain was a top source of health care spending for 90% of employers in 2020. As a result, 68% of survey respondents plan to offer a corporate musculoskeletal program by 2023.
Why movement training matters
As a long-time sport, recreation and fitness enthusiast, I've seen firsthand how movement—mobilization, activation and dynamic movement—makes an incredible difference in people's lives. And what I've observed as part of the HealthFitness team has shown that movement must be part of a successful benefits plan. If it's not, the other benefits you offer won't matter.
Movement equates to a higher quality of life for individuals and offers a plethora of workforce benefits for employers, including:
- Reduced turnover. Highly engaged employees are happier, enjoy their workplace and tend to stay longer. In fact, teams with high engagement levels see 59% less turnover.
- Decreased absenteeism. When employees are happy and engaged, they show up, too—highly engaged teams see a 41% decrease in absenteeism.
- Higher employee satisfaction. More movement means more energy which means more productivity and loyalty to the company knowing your employer cares about your well-being.
What workplace movement training looks like
Years ago, training within the fitness industry was very muscle-focused—it was all about curls, presses or extensions. These activities didn't necessarily correlate to real life and didn't comprehensively address someone's musculoskeletal system.
Today, the fitness industry is shifting away from training muscles and moving toward training for movement. Extending this shift into the workplace is a natural next step—after all, that's where people are spending the majority of their time.
For example, if someone is working on a manufacturing line and is doing a repetitive movement, we've learned that those movement patterns impact how employees feel at work and home. They may experience pain in their ankle, but working with a trained fitness professional, they realize their pain translates into an issue they're actually having in their hip.
The same thing can happen to employees who sit for prolonged periods (like in a call center) or hold certain positions for extended periods.
In a movement-based approach, trainers focus on the basic movements people make in their everyday lives and help them perform those movements more safely. That could be anything from how they stand up from their office chair to the best way to pick up their kids or open a heavy door. It's an everywhere approach, not just something people think about when they're at the gym.
An employees' experience with an on-site trainer provides an effective and more personalized approach than simply using technology-based mapping tools and apps.
The goal is to help employees improve their mobilization and reduce their chance of injury by giving them movement activities they can complete any time (like stretches to quickly complete during a 15-minute guided break).
Movement as a purpose-driven system
Movement is much more than an exercise program; it's a purpose-driven system that should be an integral component of corporate wellness programs. And there's some urgency surrounding this concept.
The next generation is already showing us that the days of sitting in a cubicle from 9-5 are fading. We have an opportunity post-pandemic to get ahead of this trend and offer employees a fresh approach that considers their entire bodies and recognizes their full lives.
Tim Mertz is the executive director of solutions & partnerships at HealthFitness – a Trustmark Company. Through their partnership with Spectrum Health, HealthFitness has developed a unique Movement Training System for fitness professionals.
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