A survey from Glassdoor has recently revealed that only two in five UK employees polled reported taking a maximum of just half their annual leave entitlement during the last holiday year, with the average employee taking just 62% of their allowance.

Whether it is in regards to annual leave, lunch breaks or simply a short break away from an employee’s desk, employers should encourage breaks of all kinds as it’s in their best interest to have a healthy workplace.

Improve emotional wellness

The importance of annual leave can often be neglected and over-looked, it provides employees with the opportunity to take a break from the demands of the workplace, switch off, rest and re-energise. The Glassdoor survey also highlighted that those who did use their annual leave 23% regularly checked emails and 15% continued working through fear of getting behind and the consequences of not hitting their targets. Well-rested employees are happy and productive employees. Employees who take their annual leave will be able to re-charge their batteries, be more creative, catch up on their sleep, live longer, improve your mood and reduce stress.

Increased productivity

Being stuck in an office all day won’t do the emotional wellness of your employees any good! Ensure that lunch breaks are taken by your staff as it can boost their creativity upon their return, along with increased passion and focus for what they do. Taking time out during lunch by getting away from the office will give your staff’s brains the chance to recuperate and make you less likely to procrastinate.

Reenergised employees

Working out on lunch breaks will reenergise employees and improve their productivity in the afternoon. When endorphins are flowing through your body, you will think quicker and will be better at problem solving. Exercising on a regular basis lowers you chance of illness and injury as sitting for prolonged periods of time can lead to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Lower stress levels

Working adults spend on average around 9.5 hours sitting a day, therefore it is essential to take a break, get up and walk around. Encouraging employees to step away from their desk for a short break will give them the opportunity to recharge, relax and prevent work burnout. Our attention spans and concentration levels dwindle over time if there is no break, therefore a short break will refresh attention spans and sustain concentration levels.

Prevent health issues

Sitting for long periods of time can cause muscle tension, aches and pains. Along with increasing the risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes and even cancer! Sitting all day hunched over your computer isn’t doing your posture or body any good, therefore ensure all of your employees have the correct support they need! Employers should also encourage staff to take breaks to stretch their muscles as the tighter hips/hamstrings/quads become, the more pain people will feel and more prone to injury. Staring at a computer screen for hours on end can impact your vision and cause headaches, which is why it is important for your workplace to take breaks away from their screen.

Incorpore have been delivering gym solutions for 17 years to over 1,700 of the largest employers in the British Isles from over 3,200 health clubs. Our mission is to dramatically increasing the uptake and promotion of gym memberships and wellbeing services within the working population of the British Isles.

Incorpore has two gym solution products offering discounted gym memberships: GymFlex and My Gym Discounts. Along with offering gym solutions, Incorpore provide discounts on health, sport and fitness products through My Active Discounts. Our newest product is Your Wellness Hub, which is a platform dedicated to providing employers with the tools to help improve the health and wellness of their workplace. Whether your company is just starting out on its health and wellness journey, or you are best in class and seeking ways to improve, Your Wellness Hub is here to add a new dimension to the way in which you deliver this strategy by offering a whole host of products and services that will encourage your employees to Live Fit, Work Fit and Think Fit.