Research released last week showed that more than 40% of employees have gained weight while in their current job. Many cite the office environment as contributing to an unhealthy lifestyle. We look at what employers can do to help.

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Working environment is making employees fat

More than 40% of employees have gained weight in their current job. Too many hours spent sitting at a desk was the most cited reason for work-related weight gain.

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How your office environment could affect your employees’ health

More than two in five people have gained weight in their current job, and almost a fifth of people say that weight gain was more than 10 pounds. That’s according to a poll of more than 1,000 British employees by Career Builder.

Unfortunately, these figures may not be that shocking. As office work becomes more sedentary and perks such as lattes and biscuits are offered, it’s not that surprising that workers are getting bigger.

But it’s not just weight gain that’s an issue - 38% of people saying they are too tired after work to exercise and 18% of workers admitted to skipping meals due to time constraints.

So how can you ensure your office is a place that helps your employees look after their health?

The main issues

In the survey, staff were asked to rank the main reasons they had gained weight. The top responses were:

• Sitting at desk too long: 58%
• Too tired to exercise: 38%
• No time for exercise: 34%
• Eating because of stress: 32%
• The office biscuit tin: 28%
• No time to eat: 18%

What employers can do

Looking at the responses, there are some things that employers can do to help staff to have a  healthier office life:

• Offer alternatives to sitting at a desk: from stand-up or walking meetings to suggesting workers take regular breaks, getting away from your desk offers lots of benefits. You can rest your eyes, stretch your legs and maybe get some fresh air, which could actually make you more creative.
• Create a culture where people can work where they like: yes, there are certain tasks that have to be done at a desk, but the working environment is changing. Make it clear that people can work in the way and in a place that suits them.
• Offer healthy snacks: if your business has perks like free biscuits, look at alternatives like a fruit bowl or healthy snacks. There are lots of companies which can deliver healthy options or you could try your local vegetable box provider.
• Keep an eye on people’s workloads: all staff should have time to take a break and time for lunch. If your workers genuinely don’t have time for this, it’s important to review this. Many people won’t speak up about workloads, so it’s important managers keep an eye on this, to keep stress levels low and help to reduce sickness too.