Toxic work culture lacks physical hustle.
Step away. An ASICS study found brief bouts of physical activity could offset detriments of sedentary office work.
- Four straight hours seated at a desk increases stress by 18%.
- Workers taking a 15-minute movement break improve mental state by 22.5%.
- A week of daily breaks boosts productivity (+33%), focus (+28%), and resilience (+28%).
Unplug. A separate report showed workers who trade smartphone doom-scrolling for 30 minutes of exercise significantly lowered depression and heightened willpower.
Just Move
Americans spend most of their lives sitting — and a white-collar workplace exacerbates the issues, from tech neck to hypertension and burnout.
Rethinking the grind, employers are making moves to inspire their workforces.
- Fitness-as-a-benefit, EGYM, Wellhub, and more are scaling digital/IRL partner networks.
- Securing £2.4M, GoJoe is growing its corporate social wellness app in the UK and US.
- A third of Fortune 500 companies tap Exos for mental/physical performance coaching, while Alo’s corporate gym doubles as an invite-only wellness club.
Punchline: Heads-down work has limits, and stepping away for a quick walk or workout must become part of the normal 9-to-5