Doing sport in the company is not that complicated

Monday 9am. As you are about to settle in at your desk, the first debriefings of the weekend are starting to be heard in the corridors. There is talk of hiking, family, a broken-down boiler, but also, and very much, of sport. 

According to a study carried out by Opinion Way on the place of sport in the workplace, 67% of those questioned talk about sport with their work colleagues. Sport is an inescapable topic of conversation, a source of laughter, categorical analysis and, of course, prognostication. Paradoxically, we talk about it a lot at work, but don't do it much. 

This is a pity because the benefits of sport in the company on well-being are multiple: increased motivation, better cohesion, stress management, positive spin-offs directly beneficial to the company. All the more so as 83% of the employees questioned said they were ready to take part in a physical and sporting activity (PSA) in the company.

So where does it get stuck?

It is true that not everyone has Mike Horn as a boss. It is a fact that corporate sport initiatives are facilitated when the managers are themselves sportsmen and women. But this is not the only reason. According to a study carried out jointly by the MEDEF, the CNOSF, the Ministry of Sports and the Union Sport et Cycle, only 18% of managers have set up a company sport offer. This is not very many. 

On the employers' side, it is a question of resources and infrastructure

"Our premises are not suitable", "We lack budget", ...

47% of managers do not plan to develop a sports offer due to the lack of adequate infrastructure on their premises and 30% due to the lack of financial means.

It's true that, apart from a few Silicon Valley heavyweights, few can claim to have a state-of-the-art gym with a private (and body-built) trainer in their offices. But let's take a step back: working out in the office doesn't have to be an Olympic-size gym. We're talking about encouraging your employees to get moving regularly. There is no need to embark on a huge project, there are many alternatives:

• Encourage activities that require little space and equipment such as yoga, meditation, stretching or circuit training to let go and (re)motivate the troops... Requisition a meeting room and let's go!
• Get some fresh air! Encourage your teams to do something outside your premises. A lunch break lasts an average of 1.5 hours, so once you've spent 20 minutes at the table, you have no excuse! Take advantage of the remaining time to clear your head by going for a brisk (or slow) 15-30 minute walk with your colleagues...or prospects. Indeed, rather than yet another static meeting, why not talk business while walking? Try co-walking, a recipe tested and approved by Steve Jobs himself.
• Like coworking, it is also possible to share certain places dedicated to sport with other companies (a good way to show your competitors or office neighbours who the sports bosses are). For your information, some communities and municipalities can also give you access to their stadiums, gyms, etc.
• Challenge your colleagues. To combat sedentary lifestyles and stimulate your troops with simple mechanisms, you can initiate intra-company challenges: replace the lift with the stairs, walk more than 10,000 steps a day, come to work on foot or by bike one day a week. Keep track of the results and announce the winners at the beginning of each month. HR, Marketing, Finance, Sales...who will win? 
• Join forces for a common cause. Together with your teams, choose a cause that is close to your heart and give it your support. Organise a clean walk, a toy collection or turn your everyday steps into donations, for example.

As part of its plan for the 2024 Olympic Games, the government has put in place several measures to encourage the practice of sport in companies. These include the exemption for physical and sporting activities in companies .

...and on the side of your employees (for those who have had the chance to try sport in the company) what are the blockages?

"We lack motivation", "We don't like the activities offered", "We are not sporty"...

As you may have already noticed, the introduction of sport in the company does not always work... It is possible that your employees are not into sport and that the proposed activities are not appreciated, which can lead to a "flop". But this doesn't have to be the case, there is still time to shape your offer! In this article we give you our best tips for encouraging sport.

Remember that the aim is to encourage ALL your employees (budding sportsmen and women, senior citizens, inveterate sportsmen and women, etc.) to take part in physical activity, in all its forms, whether active or gentle. 

"We are already underwater at work,

Understandably, your employees may be put off by the idea of staying longer in the workplace after a busy day.

To remove this barrier, you need to offer them a programme that fits into their schedule. It is up to you to offer them a sports slot in their working hours. They will then have no excuse to get up from their desk and put on a pair of trainers!  

Today, more and more companies are experimenting with a four-day paid week. Note that the principle is not to work five days in four, but to reorganise one's days. Employees who work four days would then be more fulfilled and productive. It should be possible to set aside an hour of their working time for physical activity and sport! 

You can also set up a reward system for your employees who take the time to practice an activity in the office. In conjunction with your CSE, offer gift vouchers to those who are the most involved in your sports initiative, for example.

"Doing sport in the company with colleagues is out of the question".

For many, sport is a private matter. Showing up in your natural clothes and out of breath requires a certain amount of work on yourself 😅 Don't worry, there are solutions to create a collective state of mind without imposing a group practice. With the new generation sport & health programmes, your employees can, for example, carry out individual physical challenges (at home or at a practice site) and share them through a mobile application that will turn them into team points. 

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With the SPART team, we are aware of all these constraints and we offer you THE solution.

If setting up a sports dynamic within your company still seems complicated. Pass the baton to us!

SPART is the impetus you need to bring a "positive attitude" to your teams. By co-designing a tailor-made programme, we guarantee a rich formula adapted to all your employees: with more than fifty activities, sports and fun challenges, individual and collective challenges and, above all, good humour and better cohesion!

Let's talk about your QWL approach.