What Are the Benefits of Fitness Centers in Businesses?

It's no secret that exercise improves a person's quality of life. But exercise can also improve the quality of a business. Healthy, fit employees make for productive workers for a variety of reasons. There are plenty of ways a business can encourage employees to stay active, but the most convenient way to get employees to work out is by providing a gym or fitness center in the workplace. The benefits of a workplace gym outweigh the costs of installing equipment.

Reduced Absenteeism

• Increased fitness is directly linked to increased health. If a person is generally healthy, she will be less likely to become rundown or ill. This means that employees will take fewer sick days and productivity will increase. Regular exercise can also positively affect mental health issues like depression, which is another major cause of absenteeism.

Better Attitude

• Not only does physical activity reduce mental issues like depression, it can also lift the general attitude of a person who does not suffer from a mental illness. Exercise makes people feel less tired, which results in a general sense of well-being. It also significantly reduces an individual's stress, whether or not that stress is generated from within the workplace. This reduction in stress makes the worker less likely to be distracted from tasks at work, thus increasing productivity and the ability to concentrate.

Improved Confidence and Morale

• When one exercises regularly and gets that extra boost of energy, he is bound to feel better about himself. According to personal trainer Bob Doyle, completing a tough workout or meeting goals in the gym can make for a huge confidence boost that will translate to the way an employee interacts with co-workers, as well as clients and other business partners. Doyle also believes that the inclusion of a fitness center within the workplace also gives workers confidence in their employer and creates the feeling that the boss is looking out for the individuals within the company. This boosts the sense of morale throughout the company and decreases instances of turnover.

Boosts the Bottom Line

• By having a workout facility in the same building as the office, employers show that they are actively encouraging employees to exercise and also make it convenient to exercise during the day. Studies show that for the above reasons, healthy employees not only make the workplace more energetic, positive and generally more pleasant to be a part of, but they also make more money for the company. Your Health Magazine reports that for every dollar spent on employee fitness, the company makes an extra $3 in return, making the idea of in-house gyms a win-win for everyone involved.