BDC Hamburger Icon

Menu

Close
BDC Logo
Search Icon
Advertising Disclosure
Close
Advertising Disclosure

Business.com aims to help business owners make informed decisions to support and grow their companies. We research and recommend products and services suitable for various business types, investing thousands of hours each year in this process.

As a business, we need to generate revenue to sustain our content. We have financial relationships with some companies we cover, earning commissions when readers purchase from our partners or share information about their needs. These relationships do not dictate our advice and recommendations. Our editorial team independently evaluates and recommends products and services based on their research and expertise. Learn more about our process and partners here.

9 Reasons Why Encouraging Employee Fitness Is Beneficial

A wellness focus is a win-win for employees and organizations.

author image
Written by: Julie Thompson, Senior WriterUpdated Jan 21, 2025
Shari Weiss,Senior Editor
Business.com earns commissions from some listed providers. Editorial Guidelines.
Table Of Contents Icon

Table of Contents

Open row

Workplace wellness is an essential part of being a modern employer, especially if you want to boost productivity and morale while helping your team achieve tangible health benefits. Encouraging fitness and overall well-being among your employees can also improve engagement and focus, so it’s a win for everyone.

We’ll explore nine reasons why encouraging fitness among your employees can benefit your business, as well as share best practices for introducing fitness and wellness ideas, policies and programs. 

Did You Know?Did you know
Encouraging employee fitness can be a part of a broader corporate wellness program that also includes group support, nutritional guidance and mental health services.

Why encouraging employee fitness is beneficial

Every business owner wants to create a happy, productive work culture. To achieve this goal, businesses must prioritize employees’ mental and physical health, as well as create and support a culture of wellness. 

Joanie Stofanak, global head of talent acquisition at Wellhub, understands firsthand the importance of encouraging employee fitness. “Encouraging fitness in the workplace leads to an overall improvement in employee wellness,” Stofanak said, referencing data from Wellhub’s State of Work-Life Wellness 2025 report. “This is especially important in a time when 83 percent of employees would consider leaving their current job due to a lack of focus on well-being.” 

Encouraging exercise and fitness is an effective and accessible way to boost your team’s mental and physical health, which, in turn, enhances their personal and professional lives. As a bonus, investing in your employees’ fitness could foster creativity, productivity and better communication within your organization.

Here are nine benefits of encouraging employee fitness:

1. Encouraging employee fitness reduces absenteeism.

graphic of colleagues sitting around a conference table

Fit, healthy employees help businesses reduce workplace absenteeism rates. Businesses that encourage health and fitness may save money by increasing work attendance and reducing sick days

Consider introducing a staff fitness initiative to encourage a robust workforce. Regular exercise keeps people healthy, promotes health and resilience, and makes employees less vulnerable to common illnesses. As a result, they spend more hours at work, thereby improving your bottom line.

2. Encouraging employee fitness improves job satisfaction.

When employees are fit and healthy, they’re more likely to perform their jobs well. As a result, they experience less workplace stress — and stress and productivity rarely go hand in hand. Fit employees with manageable stress levels are typically more satisfied with their positions. Although many factors beyond fitness affect job satisfaction, it’s clear that healthy, calm and energetic individuals are more productive and satisfied with their jobs.

FYIDid you know
Fitness trackers are popular tools for encouraging health at work. However, they may raise privacy concerns and data security issues.

3. Encouraging employee fitness alleviates stress.

Workplace stress and depression are leading causes of absenteeism, particularly for employees who work in high-pressure business environments. However, exercise raises your heart rate, improves blood flow and relieves stress. It also releases hormones (like norepinephrine) that support proper brain function and boost mood.

TipBottom line
Teach your employees transcendental meditation techniques to combat stress and burnout while improving team collaboration, resilience and overall health.

4. Encouraging employee fitness cuts healthcare costs.

U.S. companies are increasingly including healthcare provisions, including gym memberships, in their employee benefits packages. They believe employees who exercise regularly help reduce employer healthcare costs over time. 

In fact, according to Wellhub, workers who exercised at least five times a month decreased company healthcare costs by 35 percent after one year.

5. Encouraging employee fitness increases productivity.

graphic of colleagues talking near some clocks

The combination of distractions, multitasking, meetings and personal stress can cause employee productivity to plummet. However, regular exercise can improve physical and mental health, which leads to enhanced productivity. 

“When employees are physically active, it not only benefits their physical health but also improves their mental health, resulting in increased productivity and reduced levels of burnout and turnover,” Stofanak noted, citing data from Wellhub’s 2024 Return on Wellbeing report. “In fact, 99 percent of HR leaders report that wellness programs have increased employee productivity and 98 percent report that they reduce turnover.” 

6. Encouraging employee fitness helps create happy, motivated employees.

Regular exercise keeps employees more energetic and motivated at work. Employees with increased energy and improved brain function perform better overall. 

Motivated employees tend to be happy employees. In a groundbreaking study, British telecom firm BT tracked employee happiness weekly for six months. The participants were asked to rate their current happiness state using five emoji buttons, ranging from very sad to very happy. 

The study found that happy employees didn’t work more hours than their sad co-workers but that their mood boost helped them increase productivity by up to 13 percent within their regular daily work hours.

7. Encouraging employee fitness improves employees’ sleep.

Sleep is another key factor in a happy, healthy and productive life. Adequate deep sleep helps reduce stress, prevent depression and strengthen immunity.

However, many people don’t understand the connection between physical fitness and sleep. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, exercise helps to stabilize sleep patterns, and moderate-intensity exercise helps to reduce insomnia.

TipBottom line
Consider allowing employees to nap on the job. Well-rested employees are better positioned to perform their best with enhanced creativity and cognitive thinking.

8. Encouraging employee fitness boosts employee retention.

Employees see on-site gyms, gym membership subsidies and other fitness initiatives as coveted creative job perks. Managers, in turn, see these initiatives as effective tools for retaining top talent. When employees’ physical and mental health needs are met, they are less likely to job-hop or seek other opportunities. 

Improved employee retention benefits a business’s bottom line by reducing training costs and minimizing the need for recruitment.

9. Encouraging employee fitness supports team building.

graphic of two people talking to each other and lifting weights

Fitness experts believe workplace teamwork fosters energy and motivation while reducing employee turnover. Encouraging fitness as a team activity can create opportunities for employees to interact, build connections and collaborate in informal settings.

Consider promoting fitness initiatives that suit your workplace’s needs and resources. On-site gyms are great, but not every business can afford one. However, any business can organize walking or jogging groups, host virtual fitness challenges, or encourage employees to participate in local fitness events as a team.

You can also support after-hours team-building activities, like hiking, yoga classes or recreational sports leagues. These activities don’t require much overhead and can be tailored to employees’ interests and schedules.

The do’s and don’ts of encouraging employee fitness 

Consider the following do’s and don’ts when you’re creating your employee fitness initiatives.

Do: Take a broad approach.

Focus on improving employees’ overall physical and mental health and wellness instead of taking a narrow approach, such as holding weight-loss competitions. It’s crucial to be mindful of mental health issues that could be exacerbated by a focus on weight or body image. 

Stofanak emphasized the importance of creating an inclusive environment with flexible workplace wellness options. “At Wellhub, for example, all of our employees are offered our Gold membership, which provides them with a variety of fitness options and flexibility through both in-person and virtual classes, including gyms, yoga and virtual workout sessions,” Stofanak explained.

Flexibility also fosters inclusivity. “By giving employees choice, it allows them to find fitness options that best suit their schedules and goals and find a form of fitness they enjoy and feel comfortable participating in,” Stofanak added.

Do: Keep it fun.

Make your fitness and wellness initiatives fun so participation doesn’t feel like a chore. While some people enjoy competitions, others find them stressful. Consider offering fun incentives, like prizes or perks, for employees who meet personal fitness milestones or participate in activities. Instead of emphasizing competition, create a supportive and encouraging atmosphere. 

Do: Engage management.

Get the support of top-level executives to ensure the success of your employee fitness initiatives. Inclusive programs that involve all levels of the organization can improve manager-employee relations and foster a stronger company culture.

Did You Know?Did you know
Research from McKinsey & Co. shows that women spend 25 percent more time in poor health than men do during their working years. Addressing this gap through wellness initiatives could improve lives and add $1 trillion to the global GDP annually by 2040.

Don’t: Judge those who don’t participate.

Launching a fitness journey is very personal. Not everyone will want to participate in your fitness and wellness programs — at least initially. There’s no place for pressure when you’re encouraging employee wellness. Don’t shame or judge nonparticipants. Instead, be welcoming and supportive, and continue showcasing how fun your fitness initiatives are. 

Don’t: Pretend it’s a reality TV show.

Your fitness initiatives aren’t sports competitions or TV shows like The Biggest Loser. Never weigh participants, take before-and-after pictures or keep score. Every participant should be praised for their efforts to live a healthier lifestyle. Lighthearted sports, like softball games, can be a fun addition to your program, but athletic ability should not be an issue in your fitness initiatives. 

Don’t: Underinvest.

Keeping your team engaged in fitness during the workday requires an investment. Your budget determines whether you set up an office gym, provide discounted gym memberships, offer a nutritionist-approved snack bar or simply organize walking groups. 

Stofanak noted that any investment will likely be well worth it. “Fitness initiatives also act as preventative healthcare by improving people’s overall health, reducing their risk of developing illness and chronic health conditions,” Stofanak said. “This also results in fewer sick days and reduced healthcare costs. Fitness in the workplace is truly a win-win for both employees and employers.”

Take time to decide how to frame the wellness program so all employees can take advantage of it. The investment can create happy, healthy workers in the long run while increasing overall productivity and fostering an inviting company culture.

Did you find this content helpful?
Verified CheckThank you for your feedback!
author image
Written by: Julie Thompson, Senior Writer
With nearly two decades of experience under her belt, Julie Thompson is a seasoned B2B professional dedicated to enhancing business performance through strategic sales, marketing and operational initiatives. Her extensive portfolio boasts achievements in crafting brand standards, devising innovative marketing strategies, driving successful email campaigns and orchestrating impactful media outreach. At business.com, Thompson covers branding, marketing, e-commerce and more. Thompson's expertise extends to Salesforce administration, database management and lead generation, reflecting her versatile skill set and hands-on approach to business enhancement. Through easily digestible guides, she demystifies complex topics such as SaaS technology, finance trends, HR practices and effective marketing and branding strategies. Moreover, Thompson's commitment to fostering global entrepreneurship is evident through her contributions to Kiva, an organization dedicated to supporting small businesses in underserved communities worldwide.
BDC Logo

Get Weekly 5-Minute Business Advice

B. newsletter is your digest of bite-sized news, thought & brand leadership, and entertainment. All in one email.

Back to top