May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month

Give employees better ways to work (out)!

In May, winter chills finally give way to spring sunshine. Many are ready to embrace summer. Now, encourage employees to focus that renewed energy on taking better care of themselves.

The National Association for Health and Fitness asks businesses to challenge employees this month. Invest in employee health by giving them wellness resources and encouraging healthy activities.

Why should companies promote good employee fitness?

According to the National Association for Health and Fitness, a study of 56 worksite health promotion programs showed:

• a 27% reduction in sick leave absenteeism,

• a 26% reduction in healthcare costs,

• a 32% reduction in workers' compensation and disability management cost claims, and

• a $5.81 to $1.00 Return on Investment ratio.

The Global Employee Health and Fitness Month website asks participating workplaces to sign up. With registration, you receive toolkits and other activity resources.

We offer additional ideas to jump-start your office wellness campaign. Speak to your doctor before starting any new diet or workout regimen.

Health Insurance or Payroll Service gym discounts.

Your health insurance provider or payroll company may offer benefits like car rental or mobile phone plan discounts. Many plans also provide national workout chain discounts.

Remind employees to access this benefit. Include information on which gyms participate in your employee newsletters, staff meetings, and Health Month posters. Give staff a custom gym bag or branded water bottle when they show confirmation of membership.

Personal Fitness Goals vs. Weight Loss Competitions.

Many companies pick "Biggest Loser" style competitions as fitness challenges. Participants weigh in weekly. The person or team with the most weight loss over a fixed period wins a prize. It is easy to measure and harder to "cheat" the results.

Health experts dispute whether these challenges help or hurt long-term fitness goals. Short-term losses pack back on. Participants do not build lifelong healthy habits.

For lasting rewards, focus on changing behaviors rather than losing pounds.

Reward teammates who hit personal fitness goals. Is the goal to walk 10,000 steps a day, go to the gym three times a week, or cook at home more often? Give points to people who achieve these goals. Reward staff with a personalized pedometer. Encourage them to download health tracking apps to monitor progress.

Spread the challenge over more than one month. Consider quarterly challenges, giving time to create healthy habits.

Internal newsletters and office communications.

Use internal newsletters to share healthy, affordable, easy meal and snack recipes.

You can also include short, Q&A-style interviews with staff who have reached personal health goals. Those stories may inspire others.

Don't have a formal newsletter, but have an intranet or other employee communication portal? Encourage staff to share their work and health success stories there.

Accountability Matters.

There is a reason the Buddy System works. You can hit the gym, take a yoga class, or go for walks over lunch with a friend. When accountable to someone else, you are more likely to get to those workouts.

The same idea relates to putting "teams" together for your office wellness challenges. The team can be any combination based on work groups or similar interests, ages, or genders.

With an accountability buddy or team, your staff knows they have support to keep going even when they don't want to.

Health and Wellness Month Gifts.

Pick from a wide range of customizable promotional products for your staff. Give corporate gifts at the program's outset, to employees hitting personal goals throughout, or at the challenge's end -- or for all three!

Branded Fitness and Cooling Towels

Did you know people keep promotional towels for up to 20 years? A gym towel, sized to keep in a bag, works nicely to wipe down sweaty equipment. Or a sweating brow.

Cooling towels also work for muggy days. Soak the towel in cold water, wring it out, and place it over the neck. As the water evaporates, the towel helps keep you cool.

Custom Yoga Mats

Yoga builds core strength, aids in stress relief and is an inclusive practice. Can you offer a space in your building for a weekly restorative or gentle yoga class once or twice a week?

If staff is remote, encourage them to find a class that works for them. YouTube and free apps offer yoga instruction. Many city recreation centers provide low-cost yoga classes.

Customized Fitness Accessories

Our range of custom fitness products includes resistance bands, running lights, sweatbands and fitness trackers.

Anyone who runs at night or early morning should have a safety light. Resistance bands give office workers a way to tone muscles while sitting at a desk. Fitness trackers are affordable and can remind you to get up and move during the day.

Personalized Hot and Cold Gel Packs

New exercise regimens may include new aches and pains. It doesn't mean you did something wrong. Your muscles may ache as your body learns its new normal.

Heat hot and cold gel packs in the microwave or chill them in the freezer. Hot/warm compacts are great for relieving tension.

If you sprain or injure yourself, use frozen gel packs as part of your RICE routine: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

Personal Wellness Kits

Health and fitness are more than getting steps in. Taking care of yourself includes good oral health, protecting yourself from the sun and biting insects, and overall self-care.

An event kickoff gift can include gift bags stocked with moisturizer, lip balm, bug repellent, sunscreen, toothbrushes, hand sanitizer -- any product designed to prevent future illness.

Include a sun hat in the gift bag. Many skin cancers first develop on the neck and scalp. A wide-brimmed hat can help reduce the chances of future skin cancer.

Custom Sport Water Bottles

Adults should drink eight cups of water each day. Give employees branded water bottles and challenge them to hit intake goals.

Does your office provide coffee for workers? If so, offer a non-caffeinated option like powdered sports drinks to encourage them to hydrate.

Promotional Lunch Containers

No one wants coworkers judging them about what they bring to the office for lunch. Some days, it might be a PB&J sandwich or leftovers from last night's dinner out. You don't need to lunch-shame anyone if their meal isn't the healthiest option.

You can encourage healthier eating by giving employees reusable lunch containers. Salad containers offer spots for the lettuce, dressing and toppings to keep everything fresh until lunch.

Bento boxes are microwavable and often include spaces for rice, proteins and other lunch ad-ins. If the lunch container has reusable utensils, they reduce waste by not needing plastic spoons and forks.

Personalized Headphones

Whether walking outside, running laps at an indoor track, or putting in time at the gym, wireless headphones can help create a headspace for your workout.

Why do we suggest wireless headphones? Because that means you can move without wired earbuds constraining movement.

Headphones let you block out the world to focus on breathing and moving. It doesn't matter if you listen to podcasts, a custom playlist, or a streaming radio station. It does matter that they help motivate you.

Are you ready to gear up for a Global Employee Health and Fitness Month challenge? Contact your Logotech Account Manager or create an account now. We will get you running in the right direction.