Companies looking to appeal to young workers can make themselves stand out from the crowd by offering exercise benefits in the office, a new study has found.
The study, by flexible office space specialists Workthere, found that over half (53%) of Gen Z workers say that they’re more interested in jobs that offer exercise benefits to employees.
Weight resistance training equipment tops the bill amongst Gen Z, with nearly half (46%) of 18–24-year-olds wanting to see these facilities in their office.
Across all age groups, nearly two in five (38%) workers say that they’re more likely to apply for a job if it offers access to onsite exercise facilities. Additionally, almost half (47%) of Brits say that they would exercise more often if they had the opportunity to use facilities in their workplace.
In terms of facilities most desired by Brits in the workplace, its swimming pools that come out on top, with a third (33%) of people dreaming of one at their office.
Whilst men across all age groups would prefer a swimming pool in their office (35%), over a third (36%) of female workers claimed they’d like to see yoga facilities made available in their place of work.
| Rank | Exercise Service | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swimming Pool | 33% |
| 2 | Cardio equipment | 32% |
| 3 | Weight resistance training | 30% |
| 4 | Yoga | 28% |
| 5 | Walking groups | 22% |
| 6 | Pilates | 16% |
| 7 | Running groups | 15% |
| 8 | Zumba | 14% |
| 9 | Dance classes | 13% |
| 10 | Circuit training | 12% |
Exercise at work has been proven to offer significant cognitive benefits in the immediate aftermath of an activity and helps to increase productivity, alongside the traditional benefits of exercise such as improved mental and physical health and better sleep.
Cal Lee, Global Head of Workthere said: “We know it can be difficult to squeeze time into a busy day for exercise.
Often, when we get busy with our work schedules and personal lives, we tend to find excuses to skip working out.
“However, our research has found that if offices can provide spaces or facilities for exercise, employees would be more inclined to incorporate fitness into their routine.
Even if it’s just a 20-minute workout, people can feel mentally relieved and ready to take on the rest of the working day.
What’s more, this could also help employers beat the race of talent as potential employees are more attracted to workplaces offering wellbeing benefits that suit their needs.
“With more workers going into the office now, it’s more important than ever to use the workplace to provide employees with the opportunity to exercise at work.
The benefits for business owners and employees are numerous – from improved productivity and higher attention span to increasing bonds within the workforce.”
For more information about workplace exercise, visit: https://www.workthere.com