Action Plan Active Workplace
Choose your active item :
- See introduction
- Knowledge and Awareness
- Programmes and Events
- Spaces and Places
- Cooperation and Partnership
- Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
Introduction
WHAT is an Active Workplace?
An Active Workplace is a work environment which aims to tackle sedentary lifestyles by raising awareness of the importance of health-enhancing physical activity throughout increased participation in, and equal access to, sport for all.
An active workplace should engage as many employees as possible on the benefits of health and well-being and offer initiatives to further contribute to an active lifestyle!
WHY are Active Workplaces so important?
Active workplaces are a unique setting for your municipality to promote and strengthen an Active City! A city where employees are healthy and happy is a more attractive city.
The workplace has been identified as a key player to leverage an unacceptably high level of inactivity among European citizens and employees. Moreover, workplace health programmes based on physical activity are effective for primary prevention (healthy persons), secondary prevention (persons at high risk by behaviours like smoking or drinking alcohol) and tertiary prevention (persons affected by chronic diseases) – therefore contributing to achieve your municipality’s wider goals for the health of your citizens.
Here are some ways for you to kick start your Active Workplace approach. And don’t forget to use our Module to build your tailored Active Workplace Action Plan!
Knowledge and Awareness
Promote the benefits of physical activity to inspire and motivate people living and working in your municipality to be more physically active, target groups may include:
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Create a municipal-wide Active Workplace Campaign.
Organise an "info day" for the employers (management/HR representatives) within your municipality to offer insight on how to boost physical activity opportunities within the workplace. Invite local sports clubs, health experts, associations, leisure providers and other key actors.
Reach out to the employers in your municipality to learn of their good practices. Create an online platform to share these good practices with others.
Identify awards/labels/certification processes which promote good practices in the workplace (#BeActive Workplace Award…Healthy Working Lives, etc.). and share this information with workplaces.
Benchmark what other municipalities are doing and share their good practices.
Spread the word – reach out to workplace leaders and influencers to support and relay your Active Workplace ambition. Make them ambassadors!
Programmes and Events
Encourage employers to implement their own Active Workplace approach, why not start by developing an 'Active Workplace' toolkit tailored for your municipality?
Organise and implement physical activity events which engage within the municipality the following groups:
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Organise and facilitate programmes and events for employers and employees to participate in within your municipality, for example
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Connect with international/national campaigns or events – e.g. 'National Bike Week' or 'Walk to Work Day', TAFISA World Challenge Day, etc
Lead by example and develop an Active Workplace strategy which demonstrates to your employees and constituents that you are committed to supporting workplace physical activity. It may include the following
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Collaborate with healthcare providers who can provide employee health assessments, counselling, and resources to promote healthy behaviours and reduce the risk of work-related injuries and illnesses.
Municipalities can implement workplace wellness programmes that encourage physical activity, ergonomic practices, and mental health support.
Spaces and Places
Consider workplace commuting when designing urban planning and developing new facilities. This could include user-friendly (e.g. illuminated, safe, clean and accessible):
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Liaise with local service providers of sport and physical activity (gyms, swimming pools, etc) to offer flexible opening hours to match employees' working hours.
Offer private employers, employees and public servants discounted access to municipal-owned gyms, swimming pools, sport pitches, etc
Promote active mobility (walking, cycling, etc.) to and from the workplace, offer incentives for employers and employees within your municipality
Map existing infrastructures and facilities for physical activity within your municipality and evaluate their current use by citizens, as well as the possible integration for workplaces use
Cooperation and Partnership
Connect employers within your municipality with local sports clubs, associations, parks and/or facilities for them to find out what opportunities exist and what they can offer to their employees.
Create an alliance of all relevant workplace stakeholders (employers, employees, trade unions, chambers of commerce, sport clubs, municipal-owned leisure facilities) to discuss, align priorities, define common goals and shared objectives and work together to build a clear plan for Active Workplace success.
Become part of a bigger network: join in national/international physical activity initiatives e.g. European Week of Sport, TAFISA World Walking Day, national/local company sport federation, etc.
Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
Encourage employers to monitor the effectiveness of their workplace strategy
Regularly consult employers within your municipality on their needs and how you can assist them.
Develop a municipality-wide Active Workplace strategy, including an evaluation and monitoring system
Use evaluation results to demonstrate the impact of initiatives and prove that your municipality is a healthier and happier place to work. This may include measurements of:
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