A fit place to work in

Swati Rai

Smart work not only requires mental alertness, but also physical ship-shape. No, don't read it's as size zero or six pack abs at work, it only implies that one isn't afraid of taking the stairs when in need and sitting at a desk for a half a day doesn't end up in an attack of spondylosis.

While it is a known fact that technology at work has helped in shrinking man hours but, the contrary is also true that due to the amount one spends sitting at the desk staring at the screen, health has taken a toll too.

How has it affected the workplace? Akhil Sharma, Operations Manager at Taskbob says, "In the last decade or so, the nature of work and hours at office have changed significantly. People spend most of their time at their desktops, in front of screens. There is hardly any physical work involved and hence people have become more lethargic, unfit and have increased their intake of unhealthy and processed food for the sake of convenience. This wasn't the case with the previous generation, where there were fixed working hours and ambition levels weren't as high as they are now. This generation's priorities are quite different. Very often, I have heard my friends say 'slog till you are 40 and then sit back and relax'."

No wonder then most often employees at work complain of loss of appetite, restless sleep and frequent exhaustion. For this reason now many companies have in-house fitness solutions in place. Danfoss India has Cycles anchored near each building where employees can cycle around the 50-acre campus as a stressbuster.

Stress is the primary reason why cases of hypertension and diabetes are on the rise. Sedentary lifestyle and of course, unhealthy dietary preferences worsen the situation. It is as much the employer's responsibility as that of an employee to create a stress-free, time-bound, disciplined atmosphere to work in - where each deadline is respected and healthy lifestyle is fully supported.

Akhil elaborates on the provisions in his company, “We have a football team that takes part in tournaments held all over the city. We also have a table tennis table where people burn off a lot of calories while having fun. We conduct regular health camps so that people are aware of their fitness level. We have tied up with healthy food outlets so that people have easy access to good healthy food". The company is also planning to organise Zumba classes at work.

Talking about the provisions for a fitter place of work for a manufacturing company, Jagadeesh, Human Resources Director, Danfoss India, says, "As a manufacturing company, ensuring wellness and boosting a healthy lifestyle among personnel is an organisational priority for us. We organise outdoor games and fitness modules like yoga, tai chi, aerobics and Zumba for employees. This apart, we build consciousness through targeted communication within the organisation.” There are instance of companies such as ZS India, that bring in a certified physiotherapist, nutritionist and doctor to office once every week for our employees to get free consultation on a regular basis.

“We launched our Fitness for Impact Challenge last year wherein every participant's baseline fitness parameters -stamina, flexibility, weight and endurance — were recorded at the beginning of the three-month programme. Candidates got regular tips on fitness by professional trainers and could take part in a weekly fun-fitness activity such as Zumba. The employees who showed maximum improvement for each parameter received a certificate, a mention in the yearly coffee-table book and vouchers for fitness gadgets. We are now gearing up for another exciting chapter this year,” shares Chaitrali Singh, Director - Human Resources, ZS India.

The 21st century workplace is ridden with angst and unnecessary competition most of the time. When deadlines are tighter and the expectations skyrocketing — unhealthy eating quick fixes, emotional binging or long hours at the desk takes a toll on one's productivity as well as longevity.

An effective employer and workplace ethics will follow a system that not only guides an employee in making healthy work practices but also ensuring an environment where employees are fitter, healthier — both, mentally as well as physically.