Running head: PHYSICAL FITNESS AND WORK PERFORMANCE

PPE 310: Health Literacy for Schools

Physical Fitness and Work Performance
Samantha Bowdren
Arizona State University
Dr. Hesse

Introduction

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In todays society, working at an office often means sitting down and staring at a screen for long
stretches of time. Turns out, this is not good for the employee or the employer. There is a strong
correlation between people who have a healthy physical fitness routine and their work
performance. This information can and should be used to inform employers and create more
active workplaces. Through fitness programs, marketing strategies, community and family
involvement, and incentives, employers can encourage their employees to be more physically
active and in turn, create a more successful business. In todays working world, employees are
often asked to commit over 40 hours a week to their careers with little to no down time. Any
extra time they have goes to their families. Because of this, the health and wellness of modern
workers declines. Researcher shows that there is a very strong correlation between physical
fitness and health - but what we are considering here is the relationship between physical fitness
and work productivity. When an employee is worn out from a demanding lifestyle and work
environment, the quality of their work product suffers. If a company were to get ahead of this
inevitable truth and offer education and real resources to help their employees stay in shape, they
can create a more welcoming environment to their staff, and a more productive workplace. My
plan is to create a program that workplaces and educational facilities can instill to create a more
productive environment for its employees and/or students. By doing so, we can expect to see
better results.
Review of Current Literature
There are many studies to support the assertion that physical activity has a positive impact on
work performance. These studies use different methods and means of research and reach the
same conclusion: that a more active person is a more effective worker, for various different
reasons.

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In a 2014 case study conducted in the Twin Cities, researchers looked for the effects of
walking at a treadmill work station and employees performance. These were measured using the
participants total daily caloric expenditure in combination with the allocation of time in minutes
among different levels of intensity (Ben-Ner, Hamann, D. J., Koepp, G., Manohar, C. U., &
Levine, J.). These findings in conjunction with surveys and energy expenditure monitoring
devices were used to examine the work product of each participant. The researchers found an
undeniable correlation between the employees using the treadmill work station and the quality
and quantity of their work product. This study shows just how important an active employee is
for a company.
A 2002 review of a fitness test in the Netherlands also proves this hypothesis. The study
was conducted to address the question whether physically active workers perform better at work
than less physically active workers (Hildebrandt, Proper & Urlings). The aim of this study was to
focus on the results of the national survey, which posed questions about workplace habits and
level of physical activity. The survey used asked about work performance, burnout potential, and
sick leave. The researchers compared these answers with the answers of physical activity related
questions and found the the workers who were more physically active were more likely to be
fulfilled at their job, take fewer days off, and perform better within the company.
A look at the performance of workers in a call center in a 2014 study compared to their
physical activity also highlights their correlated relationship. In this study, 106 employees of a
call center filled out a questionnaire in which they assessed their own exercise habits, among
other self-reports of well-being (Nima, Archer & Garcia). These results were then studied in a
six-month observation of the workers product. After that period of time, the researchers found

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that the employees who cited their own physical activity as high had a much more substantive
quality of work.
In 2014, another study was conducted that researched the connection between physical
activity and mental health, which in turn can affect an employees personal and professional life.
The researchers of this Brazilian study discovered that people who are more active have a better
work performance because both aerobic exercise and strength training contribute to higher
cognitive performance and executive function (Deslandes). This study proves that an employee
who is active throughout the workday is more likely to produce better results for the company.
Synthesis of Current Literature
When looking at these four studies, it is clear that the research in this topic all come to the same
conclusion: there is a strong, concrete correlation between physical activity and work
performance. Throughout these articles, the researchers used similar methods of surveying the
participants in an interesting but overall necessary self-assessment. The researchers discovered
that the employees were far more productive if they were physically active people and/or if they
had opportunities to be physically active at their job sites. Because of these findings, companies,
like my elementary school, can apply physical fitness routines and opportunities to their
employees work lives, knowing that the company itself will benefit from a more healthy and
active staff. This information is vital in creating a workplace environment in which employees
are able to perform to the absolute best of their abilities. Companies will see the benefit of
including physical activities in each employees workday routines. This research points to the
reality of a more successful company with more fulfilled and healthy employees.
Practical Implications

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Research in this subject is so clear that the link between work productivity and physical fitness is
not just strong, but direct. In order to practically apply these ideas to my workplace as a
kindergarten teacher, I have two avenues to use: my class of learners and my cohort of
coworkers. Through creating a healthy work environment for my coworkers, my students will
reap the benefits of such an environment and be influenced through their experience with it.
The teachers and staff at my elementary school focus so much of the students well being
that they forget the importance of self-care. Through instilling a specific plan to increase the
level of physical fitness of the staff, the quality of their teaching will increase and the lives of all
involved at the school will better. I aim to create a fitness campaign at my elementary school,
complete with a holistic approach to well-being, culminating in a 5K Community Race that staff
will participate in, get sponsored, and raise money for community causes. This will ultimately
result in more community involvement, fun activities for the staff, and a better quality of service
being provided to our students. While the needs of people working at a school are not necessarily
the same as people at an office, an increase in movement creates a better work environment,
regardless of what the environment is. Ultimately, this program will offer health and wellness
courses, and provide incentives to get the staff to participate in a community 5K race.
Marketing. Marketing will be done through passing out fliers (appendix A) to the teachers in
their classroom mailboxes and hanging information (appendix B) on bulletin boards in the staff
break room. The staff of the school will be encouraged to make healthy fitness choices through
spreading information about the correlation between physical fitness and work productivity. This
spread will be done electronically by sharing articles and statistics through email and in person,
through group discussions and fitness classes. To register for the 5K, there will be a marketing
push to get all staff willing and eager to participate. T-shirts (appendix C) will be made to the

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teachers and staff that register for the 5K in an effort to spread awareness to other staff and
community members.
Engagement. To encourage engagement in a physically fit orientated work environment,
incentives will be used. A Mover of the Month (appendix D) will be picked each month to
reward the staff member who excelled in physical fitness and holistic health. In order to
implement these programs that encourage fitness in the staff of the elementary school, a group of
fitness leaders will be formed. These leaders will offer weekly yoga, Pilates, and 5K training
classes, which will be on campus and free of charge. Participating in these classes will be
incentivized by measures like having each participant sign in at the classes beginning and then
names being randomly drawn at the end for prizes, like gift cards to healthy restaurants or oneon-one instructions, or even prizes for the class they teach - like a movie party or extra recess.
This will encourage the teachers to become involved because their students will be made aware
of these options and help push their teachers to doing it.
Policies. Through specific policy implementation, a healthier and more productive workplace
can be formed. The staff will be encouraged to make daily adjustments to how they work with
behaviors they can change, such as taking work breaks to stretch and move. A midday walking
group will be created for the staff to participate on their lunch breaks. This will be a motivation
to spend their lunchtime moving and socializing. The local gym has offered to create a
discounted membership for staff of the elementary school that the office will pay for, giving the
staff a free gym membership.
Family and Community Involvement. The family members of the staff will be encouraged to
become involved in the physical fitness challenges presented to the staff. This will be done by
creating community events that focus on physical fitness through the elementary school, like a

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family walking night and the community 5K. The community 5K that the teachers and staff will
train for and participate in will raise money for an organization in the community. The
participants will get sponsors for their race, which will encourage them to work harder. Children
and young members of the families will be shown the incredible importance of physical fitness
in group fitness classes aimed at them, which will be free of charge, and offered on campus at
convenient times. The immense value of learning this skills and priorities at a young age will be
reinforced in group discussions in the class and a healthy living and fitness curriculum unit in all
grade levels.
Recognition. In order to get this event publicized to the community, I will work with the local
news, social media, and community groups. Promotion will occur through members of the Parent
Teacher Association and the school district foundation that works to connect the school and
community at large. The local news will report on the event to encourage participants and
sponsors and to give specific information about the event details. On the schools and the
districts social media sites, the 5K event will be promoted with pictures and information about
the staffs holistic health journey.

Conclusion
It is incredibly necessary and important that companies and employees alike take their physical
wellness seriously. By doing this, they will better both their lifestyles and their work
productivity. Research has shown us that a worker with a higher level of physical activity on a
daily basis has better work outcomes. This information alone is enough for any person of power
in a work environment to instill simple yet productive programs like this one in order to create a

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more prosperous workplace. Through this program, an employee will have a higher quality of
life, both physically and financially.
One year from now, this program will still be going strong because of the undoubted success of
the first 5K training and other important components. The employees will have seen real tangible
connections between their increase in physical activity and job performance so they will continue
a healthy lifestyle promoted by this program. Three years from now, more people will be a part
of the program and it will take a larger role in the community. Teachers and staff from the
elementary school will work with community members to promote the 5K event as well as to
train for it. They will encourage donations to a different worthy cause every year, all of which are
related to the community. Five years down the line, the event will have expanded even more,
from a school 5K to a community race complete with a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon, as well as
other events, like a childrens obstacle course. The community will have embraced this event as a
positive and healthy tradition. Through visionary leadership and peer-to-peer communication and
support, this program can become an important part of the the culture of the community.
It is clear that work performance and physical fitness are undoubtedly linked and through an
understanding of the importance of physical fitness, employers can greatly benefit both
themselves and their employees. This type of program in workplaces is essential to creating a
more active culture in society and progressive working conditions.

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References
Ben-Ner, A., Hamann, D. J., Koepp, G., Manohar, C. U., & Levine, J. (2014). Treadmill
workstations: The effects of walking while working on physical activity and work performance:
E88620. PLoS One, 9(2) doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088620

Deslandes, A. C. (2014). Exercise and mental health: What did we learn in the last 20Years?
Frontiers in Psychiatry, 5, 66.

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Hildebrandt, V. H., Proper, K. I., & Urlings, I. J. M. (2002). physical activity and work
performance: Results from the national worker fitness test 2000 in the netherlands. Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise, 34(5), S201. doi:10.1097/00005768-200205001-011

Nima, A., Archer, T., & Garcia, D. (2014). Predicting performance at call-centres: Work climate,
exercise frequency and temperance. Personality and Individual Differences, 60, S40.
doi:10.1016/j.paid.2013.07.106

Appendix A

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Appendix B

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Appendix B (continued)

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Appendix C

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Appendix D

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