American Heart Association Walk Program

Earlier in the week I posted about the fact that we spend the majority of our days at work, and for many people, going home and then exercising can be a tough-if not impossible-feat to accomplish.While some people are able to wake early in the morning to get in their run, walk or yoga practice, not all can. Those with small children that do not sleep through the night or with a spouse on a different schedule are pretty much stuck with very limited time to get it all done: And in all, I mean cooking, cleaning, personal tasks and things that have to be taken care of for the children. Exercise? Well, when is that supposed to happen?

Yet we face a huge health issue in our country because of obesity, and some companies are recognizing the importance of putting in place programs that will help employees who need a little extra push, or who just don't have the time that it takes to devote to exercise after working a nine, ten, or twelve hour day.

One friend of mine has access to a gym on the job, and his company actually allows employees to take an hour of each day off to workout, shower and then return to work. This benefits the employee not only in a health sense but also in a mental sense. Really, what could be better after dealing with a high-stress client than going down to the gym for a fast run on the treadmill?

Not all businesses can afford a gym, or have the facilities for one. For that reason, some other alternatives exist. Many companies are hiring outside businesses to come in and 'shape up' the help. Some of these are proving to be quite valuable in helping employee morale. I'll talk about two walking programs later in the week. In the meantime, though, what can companies do-particularly small businesses-if they want to offer a program for employees but don't have the funding to do so?

The American Heart Association offers the Start! Walking Program for companies, which shows companies how to set up walking routes and how to encourage and reward employees to participate. If you have been looking for a way to get your company involved in some type of exercise program but are not sure how to start, this could be for you. Through the use of the program you'll be able to make off routes, show employees how far they are walking and tools designed to help employees track their progress.

So, even if your company does not have a large amount of money set aside to invest in an employee workout program, you could always set up something like this to help get your employees motivated and healthy!