Workplace Physical Activity Programs - Worker Interest Survey.

To succeed in encouraging exercise during the workday, you must find out what employees need and want. They are the people  whose behaviour you are attempting to influence, so it’s vital to understand their needs and gain their support.

The Worker Interest Survey

Ask staff members questions that allow you to assess such key characteristics as age, gender, social relationships, family responsibilities and current exercise participation.

It’s important to know this information so that your physical activity initiative meets employees’ needs. Employees aren’t going to participate in something they’re not interested in.

Ask employees what they want, and then implement changes that fit with their needs and working conditions. for example, employees may not want to do activities that make them sweat, because they don’t want to shower at work.

Ask workers what the organization could do to make it easier for them to be more physically active during the workday. If there’s a common trend throughout your organization, a single change could affect a lot of individuals .

For  instance, suppose a big group shows interest in biking to work. They may want to shower and change after their commute. You may give priority to installing workplace showers and changing facilities. Secure bicycle storage may  be important as well.

If you’re launching a program that requires going outside, start in the spring. By the time winter comes around, participation is already a habit.

Involving staff members is key to increasing exercise participation rates. People  are more willing to participate in and support exercise programs when they are involved in decision making.

The following tips will help you produce your own staff member interest survey -

• Keep it short (no longer than 10 minutes to complete).

• Let workers know why you are doing the survey.

• Rather than using all open-ended questions, which could be long and difficult to analyze, ask individuals  to choose from a drop-down list of possible responses.

• Ask for comments and suggestions in one open-ended question at the end.

• Make it confidential and anonymous. Don’t request information that may identify a person.

• If you are including a list of potential programs or environmental changes, make certain your workplace has the facilities and resources to offer them.