After it was found that 80 percent of Americans work in jobs that require little to no physical activity, a corporate wellness movement swept the nation. In recent years, these programs have yielded positive results including a 28 percent reduction in sick leave as well as a 26 percent decline in medical costs. Not only have 60 percent of employers said workplace wellness programs reduced their organizations’ healthcare costs, but for every dollar spent on wellness programs, medical costs fall by $3.27. These outcomes prove that the more companies invest in employee wellness programs, the more medical expenses will decrease for both the employee as well as the company as a whole.
In turn, the Santa Monica-based social sports app ATLETO recently announced its decision to expand into the corporate wellness space with a new white label offering. As a result, companies that adopt ATLETO as a part of its corporate wellness program will have access to a branded app powered by ATLETO, redesigned with the respective company’s name, logo and colors.
“We are hopeful that our platform will allow companies to more effectively promote wellness in the workplace,” says Patrick Lundgren, co-founder and CEO of ATLETO. “On top of decreased health costs and increased attendance, employees will be more productive and creative as a result of being active. In addition, employees will find it easier to interact and bond with their coworkers and other local business professionals through sports-related common interests.”
A study published in the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine showed that incorporating as little as 2.5 hours of exercise per week into the workday led to a noticeable reduction in absences. This can be achieved by spending 30 to 60 minutes during lunch exercising, which can even boost average employee performance by 15 percent, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. By utilizing ATLETO’s new white label offering, professionals have the ability to “sweatwork,” or create personal and professional networks within their own company through exercise.
The latest networking trend to hit the workplace, sweatworking, is more likely than traditional networking to create a bond on a personal level. By increasing endorphins, exercise facilitates deeper personal relationships while also allowing for clear thinking and heightened creativity. Endorphins have also been proven to increase happiness and reduce stress from workplace settings. For these reasons, sweatworking is often referred to as a healthier and more beneficial alternative to the traditional lunch meeting and more productive in establishing business connections. Sweatworking encompasses everything from a spin class followed by a post-workout smoothie to “walking meetings,” in which participants discuss business matters during a walk outdoors as opposed to sedentary in a boardroom.
In a few short years, corporate wellness has gone from being a perk that traditional corporations rarely adopted to a workplace staple that attracts current and future employees. Sweatworking is quickly becoming the norm as more companies and employees begin to follow suit. By utilizing and facilitating sweatworking with its expansion into white labeling, ATLETO aims to further promote corporate wellness across the country.
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