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Fitness to Work – A New Eco Badge For Businesses

Businesses can improve their eco-credentials by initiating a bike-to-work scheme. Here, we explain how lockable storage facilities can help to ensure the safety of employees’ bicycles while they work.

The push for companies to become more eco-friendly continues

Today,businesses and services have to prove their eco-credentials in any way they can. Product recycling, reducing waste, sustainability, community eco-engagement, energy efficiency, water conservation and finally, green building.Businesses can gain awards in all these fields and display them on their company websites, thereby confirming their green credentials. But have you ever considered ways in which the program could be extended to include healthier lifestyles for employees? Recently, more companies are turning towards the idea of employee well being, extending their eco-credentials. And exercise tops the list of activities individuals can to their lifestyles in order to improve both mental and physical well-being.

Get Fit Getting To Work

By promoting a cycle-to-work scheme amongst employees, it is estimated that businesses can reduce the days lost to sickness every year. Moderate exercise has been shown to reduce people’s susceptibility to colds and viruses. Immune cells circulate through the body more efficiently during exercise and there is a peak in the production of macro phages   the cells that attack and kill bacteria. Research published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine states that active people are about half as likely to catch colds as their inactive counterparts. Mental well-being is also improved amongst exercisers in comparison to non-exercisers. Working in a sedentary job creates stress. And stress is another major factor in lowering the efficacy of the immune system. Facilitating exercise clearly makes business and ecosense. The reduction of exhaust fume emissions achieved by instigating a ‘cycle to work scheme’ is a great extra badge for a company’s eco roll call. And supplying lockable bike storage could be just the push businesses need to boost uptake of such schemes. Here’s how.
Facilitating Cycle To Work Schemes
One simple way in which to encourage employees to cycle to work is to provide secure, lockable bike storage facilities at your office or business premises. Bike theft is a major problem for cyclists and manufacturers have responded by designing security into their bike storage shelters. Things have certainly moved on since the days of the old school bike shed and today’s smart lockable bike storage units are a pleasure to use. The peace of mind that comes with knowing their bike is secure is the least employers can do to support employees who are making positive life changes. Investment in modern, lockable and sheltered bike storage should repay itself in improved sickness records, if enough employees take up the challenge. Some employers are even offering target and small incentive rewards for those who walk or cycle to work. Hospitals, schools and health centres are now offering bike storage facilities to their employees as a matter of course. It won’t be long before every company will join them and hopefully see a happier, healthier workforce as a result.
AUTHOR BIO
Henry DeWinter is a sports journalist and business health consultant. He writes for online health and business websites and has seen impressive results from employee fitness schemes. For more information click on this page.