Regular and moderate physical or sporting activity is recognized by medical authorities as a factor in improving health. The world of work must encourage and facilitate participation for everyone, particularly women and seniors.
Among the barriers to its development are a lack of awareness and insufficient time for many individuals. It is important to better assess how the workplace can contribute to the growth of physical and sporting activity for everyone.
The interest of public authorities (a target of 30 minutes of physical exercise per day) coincides with that of employers and employees (improving health at work).
For a long time, in the business world, sports have been viewed solely through the “values” they are supposed to embody: performance, competition, and team cohesion. However, recent studies have shown the positive effects on employees’ health of regular sports practice within the professional setting: reduced absenteeism, increased work capacity, and well-being.
These results are important in a context of extended professional careers. However, only 13% of French people who participate in a sport do so at their workplace. Any effort to encourage sports practice in a professional setting must take into account the limitations of the employer’s role. Additionally, while prioritizing targeted approaches, it is important to avoid inequalities between employees of small and large organizations.
Ultimately, sport remains an underdeveloped practice despite its strong potential. The goal is to provide the means to implement physical activity at the workplace.
