Mandatory Wellness – Too Good Not to Share

In January 2020, Icebug introduced mandatory training for its employees. Three times a week, we leave our desks to engage in some form of exercise.

That decision is one of the best we’ve ever made. The benefits are numerous, and the results from our employee surveys are so positive that we can’t help but share our concept. We want more companies to join our wellness revolution.

– The only thing we regret is not starting sooner. Of course, three hours a week per employee is a big investment, but making it is a no-brainer. Our next step is to encourage more companies to follow our example. We want mandatory wellness at work to become the new norm, says Lhina Segerbo, People & Culture Manager at Icebug.

What’s the impact?

Icebug conducts an annual survey to evaluate our wellness program. In the latest survey, all employees reported that mandatory wellness makes them more productive and gives them more energy. Over 90% also stated that the quality of their work is higher as a result of the program.

Perhaps even more important is that our wellness program helps employees meet the WHO’s recommended activity levels. WHO recommends at least three hours of moderate to intense physical activity each week. With wellness activities included, 85% of Icebug employees are active for at least four hours a week.

Why mandatory?

Icebug genomför en årligen en undersökning för att utvärdera vår friskvård. Vid den senaste undersökningen uppgav samtliga anställda att den obligatoriska friskvården gör dem mer produktiva och att de får mer energi av den. Mer än 90% svarade också att friskvården leder till att det arbete som utförs också håller en högre nivå.

Vad som är kanske ännu viktigare är att vi med vår friskvård hjälper medarbetarna att nå WHO:s rekommendationer för aktivitet. WHO rekommenderar minst tre timmars aktivitet i veckan med medelhög ansträngning eller högre. Med friskvården inräknad rör sig 85% av Icebugs medarbetare minst 4 timmar i veckan.

Join the Healthy Work Club

We hope more companies will follow our lead—the public health benefits will only grow the more organizations embrace mandatory wellness. That’s why we launched the Healthy Work Club initiative—a network for companies and organizations that have adopted mandatory exercise.

Members of the Healthy Work Club follow our principles (outlined below), and we share experiences and knowledge with each other. Icebug also provides support to members, including onboarding, motivational talks, and instructor-led outdoor training sessions. Want to learn more? Contact us at healthyworkclub@icebug.com

The principles of the Healthy Work Club are simple to follow. Here’s what they are:

At least one hour of paid exercise per week (at Icebug, we do three)

Exercise should be mandatory

Employees can choose their activity, as long as the intensity is at least moderate (in line with WHO’s recommendations)

Employee performance should not be measured

Employee performance should not be tied to pay or benefits

Outdoor exercise is strongly encouraged

Doing activities together is highly encouraged

Employees take part in the annual Healthy Work Club survey

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