Walk the Talk!

Already known as a workplace where innovation is the standard and forward-thinking is the norm, Ideal Products has taken another ‘step’ as an industry leader by introducing ‘Pacer’ to its employees, an app that counts the number of steps taken during a workday. Since the introduction of the app, a fun rivalry has emerged among staff as they jockey for first place.

Maintaining the lead in this health challenge has so far required over 100,000 steps per week. No small ‘feet’, considering the often sedentary nature of working at a desk. But employees are realizing that seemingly small efforts, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, planning walk breaks to the cooler or hiking at lunch, can make a huge difference in steps counted and physical fitness realized. Add to this the by-product of physical well-being—better mental health and improved performance at work—and this initiative becomes the very definition of a win-win!

There have been many studies correlating physical activity with improved work performance. Ron Friedman of the Harvard Business Review summed it up nicely in a digital article published Oct 3, 2014 titled “Regular Exercise is Part of Your Job’.

“Studies indicate that our mental firepower is directly linked to our physical regimen. And nowhere are the implications more relevant than to our performance at work. Consider the following cognitive benefits, all of which you can expect as a result of incorporating regular exercise into your routine. Improved concentration. Sharper memory. Faster learning. Prolonged mental stamina. Enhanced creativity. And lower stress.”

Friedman adds that “Exercise has also been show to elevate mood, which has serious implications for workplace performance”. He makes the point that if your job requires you to build interpersonal connections and foster collaborations, “Feeling irritable is no longer simply an inconvenience. It can directly influence the degree to which you are successful”.

Ideal Products believes that use of the Pacer app by employees will go a long ways towards helping them not only feel their best, but perform their best. And that in turn will help them honour the 5 core values held dear by all employees of the company: act with integrity, support each other, do what it takes, respect all and always be learning.

One thing is for certain: Ideal Products—and its employees—are going the extra mile!