January 29, 2012
Runners can be profit centers for their employers
Everyone knows that being a runner involves some expenses to participate in this activity. The cost of shoes, clothes, entry fees and a few non-essential items that some runners buy to be an “in” runner all add up over a period of time.
What isn’t so well known is that, for businesses and companies that have employees that run, or do aerobics, yoga or lift weights, those employees are actually making money for the business while they are out on that run.
A study asked employees three questions: (1) How did they interact with their colleagues? (2) How well did they manage their time? (3) Did they meet their deadlines? Of those that exercised, 65 percent of them mentioned that they fared better on days that they worked out.
Northern Gas offered their employees a fitness program, and found that the employees that took advantage of the program had 80 percent fewer sick days.
General Electric’s aircraft division also offered a fitness program, and found that medical claims dropped 27 percent among employees that worked out. Those employees that did not take advantage of the program saw an increase in medical claims of 17 percent.
Coca-Cola found out that employees who participated in fitness programs saved the company about $500 per employee on health care claims.
For a company, the figures of 80 percent fewer missed days of work, a 27 percent decrease in medical claims, and saving $500 less in health care programs for members of fitness programs all mean some substantial savings. It just goes to show that all that running that the employees do are making the boss money.
One other area where runners seem to benefit is the reduction of stress. Two areas of modern business that effect employees’ work capabilities are stress and inactivity. These two factors often lead to other ailments such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and other autoimmune diseases.
A quote from the book “Sparks” states, “Just keep in mind that the more stress you have, the more your body needs to move to keep your brain running smoothly.”
An example of stress might be that a company is giving a very important presentation to an investor that will mean a big gain for their business. When the CEO looks around for the employee that will present the company’s strategic plan, they are nowhere to be found.
Asking around, the CEO finds out that the employee is out on a run just before the presentation. The stress level for the CEO is definitely on the rise. At the right time, the employee shows up very relaxed, has a reduced stress level, and feels a more positive attitude about their presentation, and is ready to present the strategic plan to the investor.
When a company president, or owner, begins to get frustrated at this runner who seems to be gone during lunch hour for a run - and while the runner always seems to get the work done, it just looks to be a waste of time - these CEO-type people can now look at that runner in a different light, and realize that they are making the company money out there on the streets, or in the gym.
For everyone else, there was a research study that found out that just 15 minutes of exercise eventually added three years to their life. Exercising longer was better, but finding that just 15 minutes showed significant benefits in health was a nice end result.
It meant that employees who go for a 15 minutes run and can still get back in time to eat lunch and maintain their productivity.
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Dr.
Maurice Johnson - better known around San Marcos as “Moe” - is a
professor in the Department of Health, P.E., Recreation and Dance at Texas State
University - San Marcos. Moe has been a fixture in the San Marcos running community
- both as a runner and race organizer - since way back when Moby Dick was a minnow.
His column on running and fitness appears each Sunday in the Sports section of
the San Marcos Daily
Record. |
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