The New Year is often a time for people to focus on change, and usually, you hear things like “I want to get in shape” or “I need to lose some weight”. January is a perfect time to kick-off a Workplace Wellness Club!
Chances are you and some of your coworkers may put on a couple extra pounds at the company holiday party, not to mention all the family get-togethers. You’re all probably feeling just a little bit sluggish right now, and the energy just isn’t there. So what can you do?
The best thing that you can do is to help each another get back on track not only with your work goals but also with your physical goals. Note that we’re avoiding the R word… as in resolution, because we all know where those go very quickly after the first of the year.
What better way to support one another in taking those few pounds off than by starting a fitness club? Here are some suggestions:
- Make the club as welcoming as possible. No one should be out to prove anything to anybody. You’re there to support one another and to enjoy each other’s company.
- Set up a consistent schedule. The club should meet either before or after work so as to not to conflict with the day-to-day business operations of the company.
- Set up a rotating leadership so that everybody takes ownership of the club and nobody is burdened to be there all the time.
- The club is whatever you want it to be. It could be as simple as everyone taking a walk as part of their lunch hour, or just during a short break. It could also include everyone joining a sports team. It’s really up to you.
Before you know it, your clothes won’t be as tight, and chances are you’ll wonder why you didn’t start the fitness club sooner!
Here are some ways to keep people engaged:
- Create a challenge board! It encourages employees to complete the daily physical activities each member selects. They can be fairly simple, such as do 20 squats once an hour or walk around the building 5 times today. The challenge board shows everyone’s progress and helps keep people accountable.
- Volunteer in the community – you can work with local youth clubs for coaching sports or leading activities, for example. Not into sports? Check with your local animal shelter or rescue organization to see if they need dog walkers!
- Utilize technology – devices like FitBit and Jawbone are great for keeping track of daily activity, sleep, and even calories. It’s also easy to friend the people in the fitness club!
For more ideas, SnackNation has put together a list of over 100 Employee Wellness Program ideas that were submitted by people around the globe http://www.snacknation.com/blog/employee-wellness-program-ideas/
