Partner Article

‘Chained to the Desk’ culture could damage Lancashire’s economy

Businesses in Central Lancashire must do more to keep their employees fit, active and healthy if the region is to avoid the crippling consequences of increased disability, sickness and early retirement.

That’s the conclusion reached by Lancashire Sport Partnership (LSP) following research revealing that few workers in the region have the opportunity to exercise during working hours or are actively encouraged by their employers to live healthily.

Workers in process plant and machine operatives occupations are 71% more likely to experience sickness absence than those in professional occupations, which is bad news for Lancashire where a disproportionate percentage of the work force is employed in manufacturing roles.

Adrian Leather, chief executive of LSP, said: “Already a staggering 25% of Lancashire’s working age population classes itself as disabled and this figure is growing by 2% year on year.

“If employers don’t act soon to improve the health and wellbeing of their workforce, Lancashire will have a healthcare provision deficit of £850 million with more people on benefits and more business days lost to sickness.

“Research by The King’s Fund indicates that 50% of long term conditions are caused by health behaviours and employers need to do more to safeguard the health of their employees and the economic health of the region.

“They can do this by taking steps to educate their teams on healthy eating and exercise and providing more opportunities to live a healthy lifestyle with workplace health offers and information sharing using digital channels.”

A full 70 per cent of respondents to LSP’s survey named time pressures as the main reason why they do not take time away from their desk to stretch their legs or do some form of physical activity during the day.

More than two thirds stated that they never or only occasionally take a lunch break, with just 28 per cent of workers making sure that a regular break from their desk is part of their lunchtime routine.

Adrian Leather continued: “As an organisation that was established to help people become more active and access fitness and wellbeing opportunities, we are very concerned by these results.

“Sedentary, office-based jobs provide little opportunity for physical activity during the day, which can make workers become lethargic and de-motivated, reducing productivity and affecting the health of a business as well as its employees.

“Working cultures in the region need to change and it’s up to employers to make that happen.”

Of those questioned, 10 per cent were concerned that taking a break to exercise during the day would be frowned upon at work. Yet even a few minutes away from the desk at lunchtime can provide a massive boost to fitness, wellbeing, motivation and productivity.

The survey confirmed that the problem lies in workplace pressures rather than a lack of enthusiasm for sport and fitness. An impressive 17 per cent of respondents exercise every day, with a third exercising every other day and a further one in five exercising twice a week.

Mr Leather added: “There is an active culture in Lancashire but employers need to make an active and healthy lifestyle part of the workplace routine too.

“It could be something structured like a lunch time yoga class or a local fitness walk or could simply involve introducing ‘walking meetings’ where colleagues are encouraged to go for a walk and chat about the work agenda rather than sitting around a desk for their discussion.

“However they approach the issue, employers must take action and they must do it quickly if we are to avoid damaging the economy and preventing people for reaching their full potential.”

Lancashire Sport Partnership (LSP) is a strategic organisation that works with partners to help people be more active, for the benefit of individuals and the wider community.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .