What Happened After Employees Were Penalised For Using The Elevator?

At work, employees are often presented with a choice between taking the stairs and taking an elevator. Choosing the stairs instead of the elevator is a quick way for your employees to add physical activity to their day.

More and more employers are turning to workplace wellness programs to increase morale and productivity while reducing health care costs. Implementing a stairway campaign can be a relatively low-cost way to encourage more physical activity for employees.

While marketing the ‘Take the Stairs’ program is crucial, another important motivator in encouraging people to take the stairs is making stairwells a more inviting place. Human resource department of a small- sized software firm conducted a survey that demonstrated that employees often perceive stairwells as unattractive and/or unsafe.

Hence, they took the following measures to make their staircase more attractive and encourage its use among employees.

• Paint and put carpet on the stairs.
• Hang up pictures and signs with motivational messages.
• Play nice music in the staircase.
• Put carpet and special rubber on the stairs for safety.
• Use cool lights to make the staircase look nice.
• Make the staircase look like a fun place, like a jungle or a beach.
• Write a fun rhyme that goes up the stairs, with each line on a different step.
• Put footsteps leading from the elevators to the stairs, with a message on them.
• Number each step from the bottom so people can see how far they've gone.

The Case for Stair Use: Benefits

The decision to prioritize stair use over elevators is not just about physical health; it's also about creating a workplace culture that values employee well-being. By encouraging employees to take the stairs, employers can promote a sense of community and teamwork, as well as demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

1. Increased Physical Activity: Taking the stairs is a convenient way to incorporate more physical activity into your day, which can have a range of health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, increased muscle strength, and better overall fitness levels.
2. Calorie Burning: Stair climbing is a calorie-burning exercise, with studies suggesting that it can burn more calories per minute than jogging. This can be particularly beneficial for employees looking to manage their weight or improve their fitness levels.
3. Improved Posture and Joint Health: Climbing stairs engages multiple muscle groups, including the legs, glutes, and core, which can help improve posture and joint health over time.
4. Stress Reduction: Physical activity, such as stair climbing, has been shown to reduce levels of stress hormones in the body, leading to a more relaxed and focused mindset.
5. Improved Mood: Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, often referred to as "feel-good" hormones, which can help improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety or depression.
6. Enhanced Workplace Culture: Encouraging stair use can help foster a sense of community and teamwork among employees, as they embark on a shared journey towards better health.
7. Increased Productivity: Research suggests that regular physical activity can lead to improved productivity and performance at work, as employees are more alert, focused, and energized.
8. Environmental Sustainability: Choosing the stairs over elevators is not just good for individual health, but also for the environment, as it reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with elevator use.

Expanding the Penalty System: Encouraging Overall Health and Wellness

While penalizing elevator use can be an effective way to promote physical activity, there are other behaviors that companies can consider penalizing to further promote employee health and wellness. These could include:

1. Not Taking Breaks: Encouraging employees to take regular breaks can help prevent burnout and improve overall productivity. Companies could penalize employees who consistently fail to take breaks by requiring them to take a longer break or participate in a relaxation activity.
2. Unhealthy Eating Habits: Companies could penalize employees who consistently make unhealthy food choices by requiring them to participate in a nutrition counseling session or contribute to a healthy eating fund.
3. Sedentary Behavior: Penalizing employees who engage in prolonged periods of sedentary behavior, such as sitting for long periods without moving, could help encourage more movement throughout the day. Companies could require these employees to take a short walk or perform light exercises as a penalty.

Other Penalty Options

Educational Workshops: Penalized employees could be required to attend educational workshops or seminars related to health and wellness topics. This could help them gain a better understanding of the importance of healthy behaviors and motivate them to make positive changes.

• Physical Challenges: Penalized employees could be challenged to complete physical tasks or challenges, such as a fitness challenge or obstacle course, as a way to encourage them to be more active.
• Step Challenges: Employees could be challenged to achieve a certain number of steps per day or week, with incentives for reaching and exceeding the goal.
• Mental Health Support: Penalized employees could be offered access to mental health resources, such as counseling or therapy sessions, to address any underlying issues contributing to unhealthy behaviors.
• Smoking Cessation Programs: For employees who smoke, participating in a smoking cessation program could be a requirement for avoiding penalties.
• Fitness Classes: Employees could be required to participate in fitness classes, such as yoga, Pilates, or aerobics, as a way to incorporate more physical activity into their routine.

Considerations for Penalties

When considering penalties for elevator use, it's crucial to take into account the needs of all employees. Some individuals, such as older employees, those with disabilities, or individuals recovering from an injury or illness, may find it challenging or even unsafe to use the stairs. In such cases, it's important to provide alternative options or accommodations. These could include:

• Allowing these employees to use the elevator without penalty.
• Providing access to a designated elevator or alternative route that is more suitable for their needs.
• Offering wellness programs tailored to their specific health and mobility requirements.

Conclusion

The success of the stairway initiative underscores the profound impact of simple yet strategic interventions in promoting health and wellness in the workplace. By combining creativity with positive reinforcement and thoughtful consideration for individual needs, organizations can cultivate a culture of well-being that benefits both employees and the company as a whole. Through initiatives like the 'Take the Stairs' program, companies can empower their employees to lead healthier, happier lives, both at work and beyond.