As a former Wellness Manager in the corporate environment I know the benefits of Workplace Wellness very well. It's been 10 years since a report since the Australian Bureau of Statistics released a report revealing the top ten industries making Australians overweight or obese. Amongst the top three were mining, transport and wholesale trade. For some the report poses the question, if you employ people into stressful roles should you provide the resources to help them manage those stressors? I believe that moving forward, the companies who are the most progressive in this area will recruit and retain the best staff.
Budget is usually the first sticking point in a wellness program, however, the most powerful changes rarely come from spending money. They come from shifting culture. Culture is what makes wellness stick once the initial novelty fades, and it's what people point to when they describe a workplace they'd never want to leave. Below are five simple things you can do for your team that cost next to nothing but time and consistency. And to make culture land, leadership has to set the tone. Staff take their cues from what managers do, not what a policy document says, a leader who joins the walk or eats lunch away from their desk gives everyone else permission to do the same. Nothing kills a workplace wellness push faster than staff watching the people who launched it opt out.
5 simple wellness ideas
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1). Change the food you have at staff meetings/conferences/events. Make sure that the food is healthy, free of excess sugar and contains clean sources of protein. Offer water and sparkling water instead of juices and soft drink. After all inspiring people eat inspiring food. |
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| 2). Lead from the top. Go for a walk/jog after work one morning or night a week and invite staff to come along. We tried this with Mt Lofty in Adelaide, the first week it was just myself and one other employee with a sweaty dream. 14 weeks later we had 15 other sweaty Betty’s join us. In fact, I finished working at Toop+Toop 9 years ago and there’s about 4-5 people who still do this every week. I'm really proud of that! |  |
| 3). Invite a pilates or yoga instructor to do one class a month at your workplace or a park near-by. Co-sponsor it so the staff only have to pay $5 for the session. |  |
| 4). Do a monthly healthy potluck lunch. Place a sign up sheet in the office so people can place their name and what they’re bringing. A great way to encourage a healthy work culture. |  |
| 5). Make sure your team has a suitable place to enjoy having a break. It doesn’t have to be amazing, just more appealing than their own desk. They can have a meaningful break, enjoy their lunch and be more productive afterwards. * I will put a side note here – Managers have to set the example. You can’t simply create a space and then sit at your own desk eating lunch, that sets an expectation that staff have to do the same. |
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Key takeaways
It’s no secret that Health & Wellness is a very personal journey so keep this in mind if you’re trying to implement a Wellness strategy at your workplace. Encourage your employees to try and put their Wellness first because small consistent changes over time lead people down a far greater path to Wellness than major life overhauls. A.K.A. the all or nothing approach.
Ready to build a space? Ideas for kitting out a small workplace gym
The 5 ideas above cost you next to nothing but time and consistency, that consistency is the hard part. If you've built the habits and got the buy-in, a spare corner is a great place to start. This way a small equipment setup takes your wellness program to another level. You don't need a dedicated room or a big budget. With the right footprint-friendly gear, an unused nook, end of a warehouse, or a corner of the break room can become a genuine training space.
Start with one hero piece: an All-In-One Trainer. For a small workplace this is the smartest spend you'll make. A single Xpeed Quantum All-In-One Trainer replaces a room full of separate machines; cable work, functional training, pull-ups and pressing all in one footprint. The X3 is the natural starting point for tighter spaces, with the X6 and X9 stepping up as your space and demand grow.
Add versatile free weights. A compact squat rack, a dumbbell set on a rack or a couple of kettlebells cover strength, conditioning and rehab in almost no space, and suit every fitness level on your team. Pair them with an adjustable bench that folds away when not in use.
Finish with the small stuff. Resistance bands, yoga and fitness mats and foam rollers are a low barrier to entry, they're popular and perfect for the lunchtime-mobility crowd who aren't ready to lift yet. Protect the floor with rubber gym tiles and keep it all tidy with a modular storage rack so a shared space never looks like a mess.
Whether it's a large fit-out or a single corner, we've helped plenty of Australian workplaces get set up. Get in touch here and we'll help you make the most of the space you've got.
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Written by Xpeed Brand Manager, Simon Mitchell. Simon has a Bachelor of Human Movement, is a certified FMS trainer and has worked in the fitness industry since 2003. Simon started his fitness journey as a trainer with iNform Health and Fitness before moving into commercial radio and then back into fitness with Bodyism in the United Kingdom and Australia. A career highlight was being one of Daisy Ridley's personal trainers on Star Wars IX - The Rise Of Skywalker. |
