3 Reasons to Add a Stylish Fitness Room at Your Business

Posted by Amitava Sarkar on June 15th, 2016

When designing an office or the employ lounge area at a store, factory, warehouse or any other type of business, you’re probably more concerned about work stations and maybe a lunch break area than you are a fitness center. However, if you have the space – or even if you have to create the space – a fitness room can be a boon for a company, regardless of the type of industry. Both office workers who sit down all day and need to stretch their legs to keep the blood flowing and employees who stand and need to strengthen their leg and arm muscles in order to do their work can benefit from easy access to a fitness center.

Your company’s fitness center doesn’t have to be huge –and you won’t even have to design it yourself. Rely on the experts who supply coordinating, stylish fitness equipment to design your fitness room for you. If you have an old spare storage room or your break room is large enough, you have the space for a fitness center. Even large entry areas or basements work as space for an employee-accessible fitness room. Simply clean the room out, outfit it with the equipment and safety mats, and start seeing a real difference in your work environment.

It’s More Affordable Than You Might Think

Aside from the initial cost of setting up the fitness room, there’s virtually no cost to maintaining it. Buy the entire room with matching playground fitness equipment (small enough to fit into even the tightest spaces) from the right supplier and save even more than you would if you bought each piece of equipment individually. Besides the more immediate cost, consider the savings a fitness room offers your company in the long-term. Healthier, happier employees will cost your company less when it comes to healthcare contributions toward deductions because your employees won’t get sick as often. They’ll also take fewer sick days because access to fitness equipment will boost their immunity.

It Will Boost Productivity

Workers allowed to step away from their work sessions for short micro-breaks throughout the day are more alert and productive when they return to them. Workers who stay in shape and get exercise at least several days a week are stronger, sleep better and prove themselves more industrious employees. Knowing they have access right on site – without having to drive to a gym or spend money on membership fees – will make employees more likely to work out.

It’ll Make You a More Attractive Employer

Having a fitness center on-site is something to add to your company’s promotional materials. It shows that you care about your staff’s wellbeing and it makes more people attracted to your company – both as prospective employees and potential customers. Get an even better crop of job applications because you offer bonus incentives to work at your company. Get more business from other companies and customers that make a point of supporting companies that operate in ways they find rewarding to the community. A fitness room is just one small part of an overall business plan to attract more potential employees and customers, but it’s a significant one nonetheless.

Encourage your employees to use the company fitness room on their lunch breaks or before or after their shifts start. You might even go the extra mile and allow short mid-day breaks for those interested in working out. They may not be wearing the proper attire to be drenching themselves in sweat, but even just a short 15-minute session can be enough to make a difference in the health and productivity of an employee.

About the Author: Lisa Stone is a health and nutrition advisor at a Fortune 500 company. She encourages businesses to explore all their options when it comes to adding a fitness center to their workplaces.