Did you know that employees spend an average of 7.7 hours sitting each day? Small changes in the workplace can make a big difference in heart health. This February, in honor of American Heart Month, we’re focusing on practical strategies that can help your team stay active and healthy during the workday.
Why Heart Health Matters in the Workplace
In today’s fast-paced work environment, heart health often takes a backseat to deadlines, meetings, and productivity goals. However, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally, and workplace factors like sedentary behavior, stress, and poor nutrition significantly increase the risk of developing coronary artery disease and other health problems.
As HR professionals, you’re uniquely positioned to champion heart health initiatives that not only improve employee health but also enhance company performance. Healthier employees take fewer sick days, demonstrate higher productivity, and show greater job satisfaction—creating a win-win scenario for both individuals and organizations.
The Hidden Costs of Heart Disease in the Workplace
Before diving into solutions, let’s understand what’s at stake:
- Companies lose an estimated $225.8 billion annually due to cardiovascular disease through healthcare expenses and lost productivity.
- Employees with heart disease miss an average of 13 more workdays per year than their healthy counterparts.
- 80% of heart disease is preventable through lifestyle modifications—many of which can be supported in the workplace.
Creating a Heart-Smart Physical Environment
1. Reimagine the Traditional Workspace (For In-Office & Hybrid Employees)
Traditional office designs often encourage sedentary behavior. Consider these modifications:
- Invest in adjustable workstations: Standing desks have been shown to reduce high blood pressure and back pain while increasing energy levels and productivity. Even budget-friendly desk converters can make a significant difference.
- Create movement-friendly spaces: Designate areas where employees can stand during meetings or take walking breaks to encourage physical activity. Add simple equipment like balance boards or desk cycles for passive movement.
- Improve stairwell accessibility: Make stairs more inviting with good lighting, appealing décor, and motivational signage highlighting calorie-burning benefits.
2. Prioritize Ergonomics
Poor ergonomics forces the body to work harder, increasing stress on the cardiovascular system.
- Provide ergonomic assessments for all employees
- Ensure proper monitor height (top of screen at eye level)
- Encourage proper posture with supportive chairs
- Offer keyboard trays and wrist supports to reduce strain
3. Create Calm Zones
Chronic stress is a major contributor to heart disease. Designate spaces where employees can decompress:
- Quiet rooms for meditation or deep breathing.
- Outdoor seating areas for fresh air breaks.
- Relaxation corners with comfortable seating and calming elements.
4. Supporting Remote & Hybrid Workers
Heart health initiatives must include employees who work from home part or full-time:
- Home office subsidies: Provide stipends for ergonomic chairs and adjustable desks.
- Virtual movement classes: Offer live or recorded sessions that can be done in small spaces.
- Digital wellbeing: Suggest apps that remind remote workers to take breaks.
- Wellness care packages: Send heart-healthy snacks, stress balls, or resistance bands.
- Structured work boundaries: Establish clear “logging off” times to prevent employee burnout.
- Virtual walking meetings: Encourage employees to take calls while walking outside when possible.
- Team challenges: Create inclusive step or activity challenges that remote employees can easily join.
Implementing Heart-Healthy Policies and Programs
1. Movement Initiatives
Breaking up prolonged sitting is crucial for heart health. Consider:
- Walking meetings: Encourage team leads to conduct one-on-one or small group meetings while walking.
- Movement prompts: Use software that reminds employees to move every 30-60 minutes.
- Step challenges: Create friendly competition with team-based step goals.
- Active commuting incentives: Offer benefits for employees who bike, walk, or take public transit.
2. Nutrition Support
What we eat directly impacts heart health. Improve workplace nutrition by:
- Reviewing cafeteria and vending options: Ensure heart-healthy food options are available, prominent, and competitively priced.
- Providing filtered water stations: Encourage hydration by making water easily accessible.
- Hosting cooking demonstrations: Partner with dietitians for lunch-and-learn sessions on heart-healthy meal prep.
- Implementing a “healthy meeting” policy: Establish guidelines for food served at company gatherings that prioritize nutritious options.
3. Stress Management Programs
Chronic workplace stress taxes the cardiovascular system. Counter this with:
- Mental health resources: Ensure your EAP provides stress management tools and make sure employees know how to access them.
- Flexible scheduling: When possible, allow for work arrangements that reduce commuting stress and improve work-life balance.
- Stress management workshops: Offer training in mindfulness, deep breathing, and other evidence-based techniques.
- Clear boundaries: Discourage after-hours emails and establish realistic workload expectations.
Fostering a Heart-Healthy Culture
Policy changes alone aren’t enough—culture drives behavior. Here’s how to cultivate a heart-conscious environment:
1. Lead by Example
When leadership prioritizes heart health, employees follow suit:
- Encourage executives to take walking breaks and share their wellness journeys.
- Have managers respect lunch breaks and vacation time.
- Recognize departments that embrace wellness initiatives.
- Allocate budget to heart health programs, demonstrating organizational commitment.
2. Make It Social
Social connections improve both heart health and program participation:
- Create wellness committees with representatives from different departments.
- Organize group activities like lunchtime walks or after-work fitness classes.
- Celebrate heart health milestones collectively.
- Use team challenges to build camaraderie around health goals.
3. Personalize Approaches
One-size-fits-all programs often fall flat. Instead:
- Offer health risk assessments to help employees identify personal needs.
- Provide a variety of options that appeal to different fitness levels and interests.
- Allow employees to set individual goals within team frameworks.
- Collect regular feedback to refine offerings based on actual usage and preferences.
Measuring Success: Beyond the Numbers
While biometric improvements are important, consider these additional metrics:
- Participation rates: Track engagement across departments and demographics.
- Employee feedback: Use surveys to assess satisfaction with wellness offerings.
- Productivity metrics: Monitor absenteeism, presenteeism, and work output.
- Healthcare utilization: Look for shifts in preventive care usage vs. emergency services.
- Retention and recruitment: Measure how wellness initiatives impact talent acquisition and turnover.
Practical Implementation Tips for HR Professionals
Launching heart health initiatives can feel overwhelming. Start with these manageable steps:
1. Begin with a Needs Assessment
- Survey employees about current habits and desired support.
- Review health insurance claims data (in aggregate, respecting privacy).
- Identify existing resources that could be better promoted.
2. Start Small and Scale
- Pilot programs with enthusiastic departments.
- Focus on no-cost or low-cost initiatives first.
- Build on successful elements rather than overhauling everything at once.
3. Communicate Effectively
- Frame initiatives in terms of benefits to employees’ quality of life, not just disease prevention.
- Use multiple channels to reach different segments of your workforce.
- Share success stories that humanize the impact.
- Provide regular updates on collective progress.
4. Leverage Partnerships
- Connect with local hospitals for biometric screenings.
- Partner with wellness vendors like Goomi Group for specialized programming.
- Tap into community resources like farmers’ markets and fitness instructors.
- Collaborate with insurance providers on incentive programs.
Real-World Success Stories
Johnson & Johnson
The healthcare giant implemented 10-minute stretch breaks twice daily across manufacturing facilities, resulting in a 22% reduction in reported back pain and 15% decrease in stress levels within six months. Their comprehensive “Culture of Health” program has been a model for workplace wellness initiatives.
American Express
The financial services leader replaced vending machine snacks with heart-healthy options and subsidized healthier choices, leading to a 30% increase in employees making nutritious selections and positive feedback on sustained energy levels. Their “Healthy Living” program emphasizes both nutrition and movement throughout the workday.
IBM
For their remote workforce, IBM implemented virtual wellness challenges that engaged employees across 170 countries, seeing participation rates of over 65% and a reported improvement in work-life satisfaction of 28% among participants. Their digital platform allowed for both individual goal-setting and team-based competition.
Small Changes, Can Make a Big Impact
Creating a heart-smart office doesn’t require a complete organizational overhaul. By implementing incremental changes and fostering a supportive culture, HR professionals can make significant strides in improving cardiovascular health across their workforce.
Remember that consistency matters more than perfection. Each small step—from encouraging movement breaks to providing healthier food options—contributes to a workplace where heart health becomes part of the organizational DNA rather than just another wellness program.
Take the Next Step with Goomi Group
Goomi Group offers comprehensive support for our clients’ heart health initiatives through our workplace wellness programs:
- Expert-Led Sessions: Schedule heart-focused wellness talks, guided meditation sessions, or team stretching activities tailored to your workplace needs.
- Custom Fitness Activities: From walking meetings to desk yoga, our certified instructors can design activities specifically for your company culture.
- Digital Wellness Platform: Employees can access our extensive library of on-demand classes perfectly suited for both in-office and remote team members.
- Heart Health Challenges: Let us design engaging, inclusive wellness challenges that unite your teams regardless of location.
To inquire about creating a unique heart-healthy activity for your company and employees, please reach out to your account representative or email us at info@goomigroup.com.
Your employees’ hearts—and your company’s bottom line—will thank you for making workplace wellness a priority not just during Heart Health Month, but all year round.
About the Author:
Mika Leah is the CEO and Founder of Goomi Group, a company dedicated to bringing wellness to the workplace through customized wellness programming related to mental health, physical, nutritional, financial, social and personal wellbeing. With a nationwide network of certified instructors, Goomi Group delivers on-site and virtual solutions that help organizations build healthier, more engaged teams. Mika founded Goomi Group with the vision of making workplace wellness accessible, effective, and enjoyable for companies of all sizes.
