The new year is officially upon us and countless resolutions have been made to get into better shape or get healthier and happier. As health and fitness has become more popular, companies are starting to look at corporate fitness programs for their employees not only to lower their health insurance costs but also to improve employee moral and productivity.
According to a 2005 study performed at Leeds Metropolitan University, exercise causes an overall work performance boost of about 15%. In addition, Harvard researchers find that post-workout blood flow creates the optimal conditions for performing tasks that require focused thinking.
There are so many positive effects of exercise on work performance which include:
- Sharpening mental performance
- Time management skills
- Improved concentration
- Sharper memory
- Faster learning
- Faster turn around time on projects
- Prolonged mental stamina
- Enhanced creativity
- Lower stress
- Improved ability to meet deadlines
Anyone who has spent a day at the office, checkout counter or processing plant knows that your mood greatly influences your work performance. Exercise is something of a cure here; workers who exercise report positive effects including:
- Increased tolerance
- Lessened tempers
- Relieved anxiety and depression
- Heightened morale
- Greater sense of calmness.
It doesn’t really matter what kind of physical activity you do, as long as you get your heart rate up and a good sweat on. Researchers find that any type of exercise, from club sports to going to the gym to doing yoga achieves all the beneficial side effects.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23795769
https://hbr.org/2014/10/regular-exercise-is-part-of-your-job/
