Workers more productive after exercise, according to a study
led by Leeds Met professor
04/08/05
Workers’ quality
of work, mental performance and time management were better on
days when they exercised, according
to research by a team led by Jim McKenna, Professor of Sport
at Leeds Met.
The research shows that after exercising, study participants
returned to work more tolerant of themselves and more forgiving
of their colleagues. Their work performance was consistently
and significantly higher, as measured by:
The gains were widespread, with a minimum of 65 percent of workers
improving in all three areas on exercise days.
The study involved 210 workers whose employers offered on-site
exercise programs—chiefly aerobics classes, but also yoga
and stretching. Participants completed questionnaires reflecting
the ease of completing tasks using a seven-point scale. This
was done on a day when they exercised during the workday and
again on days when they did not. They estimated how typical was
each day’s workload and provided details about each exercise
session. Most of the workers had sedentary jobs; all were involved
in voluntary workplace exercise programs and reported feeling
confident in their work performance before beginning the study.
The research was carried out at the University of Bristol, where
Professor McKenna previously worked.
“The results are striking,” said Professor McKenna,
who now works at Leeds Met. “We weren’t expecting
such a strong improvement on productivity linked to exercising.
Even more impressive was that these people already thought they
were good at their jobs. Participants tracked mood, and as expected,
exercising enhanced their mood. However, boosts in productivity
were over-and-above the mood effects; it’s the exercise—or
attitude related to exercise—that affects productivity.”
Focus groups confirmed the surprisingly strong effects of workplace
exercise. “We expected to hear more about the downside,
such as afternoon fatigue,” said Professor McKenna. “But
out of 18 themes raised by study participants, 14 were positive.
It was almost overwhelming.”
Workplace exercise programs, said Professor McKenna, benefit
more than just the workers. “Companies see more productive
employees who also work better together. From the public health
side, health care costs can be expected to go down for employees
who regularly exercise at work. Think of it; fewer sick days,
better attendance and more tolerant co-worker relations.”
Professor McKenna added: “We’re planning a program
for university employees based on these results ...Then we’ll
roll it out across other employee groups, and hopefully across
the country. The workplace is an ideal setting for promoting
physical activity. We can now show more positive outcomes that
matter to the employer.”
