Movement Matters: How Your Workplace Can Combat Stress This Awareness Month
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Movement Matters: How Your Workplace Can Combat Stress This Awareness Month

Alex•
stressworkplace fitnessmental health

Movement Matters: How Your Workplace Can Combat Stress This Awareness Month

April marks Stress Awareness Month in the UK, a time when we collectively acknowledge the impact that stress has on our physical and mental wellbeing. With the average office worker spending over 7 hours daily seated, our increasingly sedentary work culture is contributing significantly to workplace stress and anxiety levels.

As someone deeply invested in workplace wellbeing, I've witnessed firsthand how movement and physical activity can be powerful tools in managing stress. At incorpor8.fitness, we believe that accessible movement opportunities should be available to everyone, regardless of their workplace environment or fitness level.

The Growing Workplace Stress Crisis

The statistics paint a concerning picture: according to the Health and Safety Executive, 17.9 million working days were lost in 2023 due to work-related stress and anxiety. This affects not only individual wellbeing but creates a cycle where reduced mental health leads to decreased performance and widening health inequalities.

What's particularly troubling is how this impact is often unevenly distributed. While larger corporations may offer comprehensive wellness programmes, smaller organisations and non-profits—who often experience higher workplace stress—lack the resources to implement similar initiatives.

How Movement Helps Combat Stress

Regular physical activity has been proven to:

  • Reduce cortisol levels, our primary stress hormone
  • Boost production of endorphins, the body's natural mood elevators
  • Improve sleep quality, which is often disrupted during stressful periods
  • Create mental space and mindfulness, breaking the cycle of rumination
  • Strengthen resilience to stressful situations

Even brief movement breaks can have profound effects. A 20-minute session can provide immediate relief from tension and anxiety while creating a valuable mental reset during the workday.

Making Movement Accessible in the Workplace

The key to addressing workplace stress through movement is accessibility. Many traditional fitness approaches fail because they're not designed for workplace environments or require special equipment and dedicated space.

At incorpor8.fitness, we've reimagined what workplace wellness can look like:

  • Zero-equipment sessions: Our signature inOffice.fitness45 and virtual.fitness20 classes require nothing more than a chair or desk and enough space to move, making them implementable in virtually any workplace.

  • Inclusive design: All our classes include modifications for different fitness levels, ensuring everyone can participate regardless of their experience or current fitness.

  • Targeted programming: We specifically address the physical challenges of desk work through evidence-based movements designed to counteract the effects of prolonged sitting.

  • Time-efficient options: Our 20-minute virtual sessions are designed to fit comfortably within a 30-minute calendar slot, making them easy to incorporate into even the busiest workday.

Creating a Stress-Resilient Workplace Culture

Implementing movement opportunities is just the beginning. The most successful organisations create a culture where wellbeing is prioritised and integrated into the workday, rather than treated as an afterthought.

Some practical steps for HR and People leaders:

  1. Lead by example: When leadership participates in wellness activities, it signals permission for others to prioritise their wellbeing.

  2. Schedule movement breaks: Block time in team calendars for short movement sessions, especially during high-stress periods.

  3. Make it social: Group activities strengthen workplace connections while addressing physical health, creating a dual benefit.

  4. Measure impact: Track participation and gather feedback to demonstrate the value of your wellness initiatives.

  5. Start small: Even one weekly session can make a difference. You don't need a comprehensive programme to begin experiencing benefits.

Our Commitment to Democratising Workplace Wellness

At incorpor8.fitness, we're committed to making quality wellness accessible to all organisations—not just those with large budgets. Our social impact model means that for every 10 corporate classes we deliver, we provide one pro bono session to a charity or non-profit organisation.

This Stress Awareness Month, I encourage you to consider how movement might support your team's wellbeing. Whether it's implementing formal classes or simply encouraging regular movement breaks, small steps can lead to significant improvements in how your team experiences and manages workplace stress.

Movement shouldn't be a luxury—it's essential to creating environments where people and organisations can thrive.

Alex is co-founder of incorpor8.fitness, a wellness company offering postural correction, mobility and chair yoga classes to businesses in London. With a background in calisthenics and gymnastics, Alex has designed programmes specifically for office environments that require minimal equipment and space.

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