Encouraging walking at your workplace

Walking is a fantastic way to improve your health and wellbeing with the added bonuses that it's zero emission and free!

Employees living within 5km of your site can be encouraged to walk. Often it can take a similar time to walk as it can in the car, particularly if there is congestion along the way. 

Walking gives a mental health break, it's an opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet or make a phone call and catch up with friends and family, or pop in some headphones and listen to some music or a podcast.

Some employers promote walking meetings, where employees can dial in and participate while getting the benefits of exercise and fresh air. If your employees have meetings at the start of end of the day, this could be a great use of their time!

There's no denying that the weather can put people off walking to and from work some of the time. But you can help with this. You can provide a space for staff to dry coats, shoes and umbrellas. Or use this as a marketing opportunity, could you give staff branded umbrellas or waterproof coats? You could have a stock of umbrellas to lend to staff that may have walked to work in the morning and now find themselves facing a wet walk home. 

Walking challenge

Everyone likes healthy competition, but they like a prize more! Try setting up a monthly commuter challenge with the winner getting a prize. Prizes don't need to be expensive, a breakfast paid for on a Friday, a coffee shop voucher or a gift card. Maybe even an annual winner could win a day off work?! 

Some staff may be put off walking in case of an emergency at home. A simple way to put your staff's mind at rest is to offer a free taxi ride in the event of an emergency. You'll probably be surprised how infrequently this will need to be used, but it's nice for staff to know it's there.