Policy Level: What Policies Make it Easier to be Physically Active?

This section focuses on policies that help employees be physically active.

In many cases, policies that support physical activity are all that’s needed to encourage employees to be more active.

In fact, your workplace may already have several policies, guiding principles or procedures in place. Some of these documents may have been designed for other purposes, but also serve to physical activity in the workplace.

Current Policies and Fresh Approaches

Make a list of all the policies in your workplace that support physical activity, and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Where there are gaps or missing elements, work to include a wider scope of policies, or some approaches that might be new for your organization. This should be a team effort, reflecting inputs from employees and management.

Here are just a few examples of practical policies that help to encourage physical activity:

flex time to enable active commuting or physical activity during the workday
time at work for stretch or activity breaks
no scheduled meetings over lunch
casual Fridays or a flexible dress code
support for commuting
hiring qualified instructors
providing space for exercise classes
recognizing participation and effort
recognizing staff or volunteers who organize activities

Promoting Active Transportation

Is walking, biking or taking public transport promoted in your community?

Walking or biking to and from work provides a great opportunity to add physical activity to the workday. Even 10-minute bouts (perhaps the time it takes to walk to the bus) add up to a big health difference.

Workplaces can support active transportation by taking these steps:
Encouraging employees to adopt active transportation.
Providing secure bicycle storage, lockers and shower facilities for employees.
Allowing more flexible dress codes.
Organizing workplace challenges and employee recognition programs.
Supporting community events to increase awareness about the importance of physical activity.
Working with municipal planners to map out safe and efficient routes to work and to address infrastructure or safety problems.
Emphasizing reduced motorized transportation while at work and encouraging more active methods of transportation.
Providing or subsidizing safe cycling or in-line skating clinics for employees.

(The list above is from the Public Health Agency of Canada.)

It’s not just up to employees to find ways to actively commute to work. Workplaces and communities must also support active transportation. Collaborate with other workplaces and talk with city planners about walking and cycling trails employees can use to commute to work or at lunch hour.

Creating a Policy on Physical Activity

To emphasize your organization’s commitment to physical activity, ask a representative committee to write a policy on physical activity. (For instance, the policy could be part of a larger occupational health and safety policy.) Outline the responsibilities of management, employees and contractors for physical activity at the workplace.

Ask a senior manager to sign the policy.
Post the policy at all worksites.
Discuss the policy during employee orientations.
Once a year, remind employees why physical activity is important and confirm the organization’s commitment to physical activity.

Find out More

Active Transportation links in the Resources section.

BC's Active Workplace Workbook: A resource from the BC Recreation and Parks Association.