This month, Leeds Mindful Employer Network Project Coordinator, Leigh Staunton, has been talking to an organisation called Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, about its free Walking Works programme.
Leigh said, “It’s been really interesting and inspiring to find out more about the link between walking, mental health and productivity, and about the work Living Streets do and the many and varied benefits the Walking Works Programme offers.”
Did you know…?
- Just 10% of us walk to work in the UK and over a third don’t get enough physical activity
- According to one study, commuters can experience greater stress than fighter pilots going into battle
- Taking short walks every day has the potential to increase productivity by 30%
- Walking one mile burns up to 100 calories
Living Streets has years of experience working with workplaces to increase walking amongst employees. For local employers, Walking Works is an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to your staff’s health and wellbeing by investing in walking activities that will make them feel valued and proud of their workplace. Check out Leigh’s conversation with Rachel Adams, Project Coordinator at Living Works, to find out how to get involved.
Hi Rachel, tell us a bit more about Living Streets and your role there.
Living Streets is the UK charity for everyday walking. As an organisation, we aim to encourage people to walk everyday, local journeys where possible to enjoy the benefits walking brings to individuals and the environment. My colleague Ross and I are Project Coordinators and we provide personalised support to allow workplaces across West Yorkshire to become more active, more productive, healthier, and happier!
Can you tell us a bit more about Walking Works and who is eligible to take part?
Can you tell us a bit more about Walking Works and who is eligible to take part?Walking Works supports employers to embed a culture of walking into their workplaces to promote positive mental and physical wellbeing for their employees. Thanks to an exciting partnership between Living Streets and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), all workplaces in the region can get involved in Walking Works for free.
Walking Works is a bespoke package of staff challenges, CPD-accredited training and in-depth support to tackle barriers to walking. The package can be tailored to the needs of your workplace with onsite pop-up activities to support staff engagement.
All workplaces in West Yorkshire are eligible to take part in Walking Works and places are offered on a first come, first served basis.
Why should employers get involved in Walking Works? What do you expect the benefits to be from an organisational perspective and also from the perspective of individual employees?
Key benefits of Walking Works include:
Physical health: Walking or wheeling is one of the most accessible forms of physical activity and includes those using mobility aids such as wheelchairs. Regular physical activity can benefit employee’s physical health by improving cardiovascular health and lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Mental health: Getting outside and walking can have a positive impact on employees’ sense of meaning in their working day. Getting fresh air can have a positive impact on mood. When staff are generally physically and mentally well, there are fewer sickness absences.
Inclusion and belonging: An employer signing up to Walking Works shows their employees that they care about their health and the cohesion of the workforce. Group walks for workplaces allow people from varying backgrounds and ages to connect and socialise, enhancing a sense of belonging.
Performance: Walking Works can help promote improved performance and productivity. Studies have demonstrated that regular exercise can boost overall work performance by around 15%, whilst a highly engaged workforce can improve operating income by 19.2%.
Sustainability: Walking can help tackle environmental issues by reducing single use car travel. Taking part in Walking Works can help businesses meet international standards for social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
You mentioned that employers would get a bespoke package of staff challenges. Can you give an example of what those challenges and pop-activities might look like?
The challenges are designed to get employees thinking about their day-to-day working life, whether they are in the office or working from home. Challenges can include a range of walking activities depending on the nature of the workplace, such as walking meetings, fake commutes and lunchtime walks.
Pop-up activities can include led walks to give employees ideas about where they could go in the local area, including landmarks and green spaces. Ross and I can be on-site to support the Walking Works launch, promote participation and answer questions from staff.
If an organisation’s employees are mostly remote or hybrid workers, is it still worth getting involved?
Absolutely! We can tailor the challenges to your needs, whatever type of organisation you are. Since the pandemic, more people are working fully remotely or in a hybrid role. We can get into the habit of sitting for long periods of time when working from home which can be bad for our health. The Walking Works challenges are for any type of worker, no matter where they are.
Do you offer any more in-depth support to tackle barriers to walking?
A small number of workplaces will be offered more in-depth support to tackle barriers to walking which could include route audits and walking maps to help remove barriers to walking.
There aren’t specific eligibility criteria for more intensive work, however, spaces are limited. We will work closely with the appropriate local authority to understand the most effective place to run route audits which can inform local planning decisions. By doing so, we can make a practical difference to the everyday walking lives of people living and working in West Yorkshire.
Tell us a bit more about the CPD Accredited Walk Champion Training. What would the benefits be of electing Walk Champions in a workplace?
Our Walk Champion Training equips staff with the tools to inspire and encourage colleagues to embrace workplace wellbeing through walking. Our interactive Walk Champion Training session takes place over two hours and is conveniently delivered as a live, online event.
During the training we support Walk Champions to design an action plan for their workplace, meaning that they will leave the training with a completely bespoke programme of ‘staff activation’ walking activities for the year. After the training, participants will gain access to a resource hub, and supporting communications. Electing a Walk Champion is a fantastic way to promote walking sustainably over an extended period beyond the length of our weekly challenges.
In what ways is walking beneficial to our mental and physical wellbeing and how can employers promote these benefits to their team?
Employers can promote the importance of regular walking breaks for physical and mental wellbeing. Practically, employers can allow time for walking as part of the working day by increasing flexibility. Even workforces that are doing physically demanding jobs can benefit from regular walks to disconnect from the potential stresses of their work. Employers can prioritise the physical and mental wellbeing of their staff by signing up to Walking Works.
If a business would like to sign up to Living Streets’ Walking Works, how can they get in touch?
To get involved or for further information please email:
rachel.adams@livingstreets.org.uk or ross.gemmell@livingstreets.org.uk
Alternatively, you can book a meeting or scan the QR code below.
