Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) is expert in making this happen. Its simple yet effective fitness programme aims to create engaged workforces by improving activity levels and nutrition habits – achieving these goals through team-based walking targets. Jill King, GCC’s EMEA director, explains how to make behavioural change stick: “Health behaviours are the single greatest influence on personal wellbeing. Healthy habits such as daily physical activity and good nutrition can effectively reduce health risks.
“In the workplace, healthy behaviours support improved performance and output. Research shows active employees outperform their sedentary peers. A 2011 study by the Foundation for Chronic Disease Prevention found workers who take fewer than 3,000 steps per day (the majority) recorded significantly lower overall health scores and reduced productivity than those taking 10,000. Currently, 87% of organisations recognise their role in
managing employee health, and 84% focus their wellbeing targets on longterm behavioural change, with physical activity the most common focus. Given 31% of the world’s adults today are almost completely sedentary, this is timely news.
“Behavioural change is neither quick nor easy – but it is worthwhile. Success is a matter of time and design; research shows physical-activity-based habit formation can take around 100 days. The design of any behavioural-change programme is critically important and must underpin and support the habit-formation process. This includes a focus on one habit at a time, plus ongoing inspiration, motivation and support of employees to continue the new routine until the permanent neural pathways are formed and the behaviour is embedded and automatic.
“Successful behavioural change towards healthier habits takes time and dedication of course, but ultimately delivers health results and workplace benefits that are powerful and moreover, permanent.”
