“Office exercise gets staff in good shape”
Southland Times – Mon 5 March 2007
More alert staff and fitter individuals are just two benefits an Invercargill accounting firm has achieved from taking part in an Active Workplaces programme. The Sport Southland-run programme encourages workplaces to come up with initiatives to promote the well-being of staff through physical activity. Sport Southland’s Vanessa Hughey said that in most instances jobs these days were significantly less active, with employees sitting for longer, either on a computer, talking on the phone or traveling.
A Southland business that is walking the talk is accountancy firm McIntyre Dick and Partners. They are in the process of walking the equivalent of 10 of the South Island’s Great Walks – covering a total distance of 555km per person. Graduate accountant James Harvey said senior management was looking at ways to improve morale, productivity and the overall health and wellbeing of staff, because working in an office could be draining.
Several staff at the firm are approaching the 555km target – which Mr Harvey said translated to about 721,500. “People have been more alert. You definitely notice the difference,” he said. Sport Southland says studies show such initiatives result in various benefits, which include greater efficiency, reduced absenteeism and improved company loyalty.
