Adult Danes spend many hours of their waking hours at work, and changes in our job duties and work environment mean that many are spending more and more of their workday sitting in front of a screen. For many Danes, daily work is therefore becoming a significant part of a sedentary lifestyle, which increases the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and premature death.

At the same time, sedentary work often leads to tension in the neck and shoulder area, and neck pain occurs far more frequently than in other types of work. For example, about one in two Danes with office jobs has experienced neck pain and reduced functionality due to pain over the past year. For companies, the costs of neck pain and other muscle and joint pain are significant. They pay for sick leave, reduced productivity, and work errors, while society pays for healthcare costs related to diagnosis, treatment, and the costs of long-term sick leave.

More physical activity

It is estimated that a sedentary lifestyle causes over one million deaths in Europe each year. This has prompted experts to sound the alarm and recommend incorporating more physical activity into daily routines—for example, during the workday. More and more companies are showing interest in offering workplace exercise programs, and research projects show that workplace exercise works. It reduces muscle and joint pain (neck pain in particular improves significantly), benefits the cardiovascular system, and enhances mental health and well-being, depending on the type of exercise or activities performed. Some studies also show that targeted workplace exercise can increase productivity and reduce absenteeism, which are strong arguments for managers to implement exercise programs.

Targeted training for each individual

However, it takes more than just offering employees a gym or starting a running club. These types of programs are usually only used for a short time and by employees who are already physically active. This means you don’t reach the employees who would benefit most from exercise. The greatest benefit comes when exercise is planned in connection with work and together with colleagues. The exercise can vary widely—from strength training, stationary bikes, and resistance band workouts to balance exercises and Zumba. However, the greatest effect is achieved when the training is tailored to the individual employee’s needs, and the major benefit is, of course, only realized if the participants actually exercise. Therefore, it is important that management supports the initiative, for example by prioritizing and organizing work tasks so that employees can participate in the training.

Exercising during work hours, on the other hand, means that the workplace is no longer just a place where people go to work, but a place where they exercise and engage in other types of health promotion. It also means that the line between activities that used to take place either during leisure time or during work hours is becoming more blurred. This raises questions about whether exercise is perceived as an option or a requirement, and where the line is drawn regarding what an employer can demand of an employee. Can and should all employees exercise during work hours, and should they also exercise in their free time? And how should situations be handled where an employee does not want to exercise? The workplaces of the future will focus on these questions, as opinions on the workplace’s responsibilities and rights are divided.

Health Culture

As in so many other contexts, exercise during work hours is not a quick or easy solution for the company, nor does it replace the need for good ergonomics. There is a clear link between management culture, organizational structure, work organization, and the company’s culture regarding health. To successfully engage employees and improve their health, it is necessary to offer a variety of training options, tailoring them specifically to the individual employees’ wishes and needs. Finally, involving employees in all aspects of planning is absolutely central to the implementation of health-promoting initiatives. At the same time, a key concept for future workplaces will be variation in work tasks and the physical demands of the job, following the motto “not too little and not too much.” This requires both a focus on the individual employee and the courage to examine the entire organization of roles and agreements, ensuring there is variety in the work and time and space for shared, targeted training.

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