As the active partnership in Lincolnshire, we're committed to supporting an active working environment within our own organisation. We know the value of being active, both for physical and mental health and, as a team, we’re all very familiar with the Chief Medical Officer's guidelines recommending 150 minutes of activity a week. However, with busy working and personal lives, along with many other barriers, that can sometimes feel difficult to achieve.

The results of our January 2024 staff survey showed that there was room for us to improve in making sure that everyone has the chance to be active in and around their work.

2024 staff survey:

91% agreed that ‘my wellbeing matters to my organisation’

64% agreed that ‘I meet the CMO guidelines for weekly activity'

Like in any group, everyone in the team has different preferences, abilities, priorities and time constraints that impact when and how they want to be active. Whilst ‘company challenges’ can be really impactful, they do often require many people to participate in the same activity – and usually attract those people who are already inclined to be active or ‘sporty’. That’s why we’re thinking about how we can offer more flexible and inclusive ways to get everyone moving, no matter where they’re starting from.

Regular physical activity can help reduce stress, boost mood, and improve concentration, all of which are key for creating a happy and productive work environment. Plus, moving around can help us feel more energised and focused throughout the day, which can make a big difference in how we approach our work and collaborate as a team.

Here are some of the things we have introduced over the year, to support our team to enjoy the benefits of being more active, more often.

Monthly active minutes:

We decided that one thing we could do was to record our ‘monthly active minutes’. So, in January 2024 we started a simple shared spreadsheet and at the end of each month we added up how many minutes we had been active and added them to the sheet. There’s also space to add any comments about new things tried, achievements, what kind of activities etc.

At our regular team meetings and on our workplace WhatsApp group we send around reminders and share good news stories.

Our 2024 active minutes review:

• From an average of 362 minutes per week per person - to a maximum average of 511 minutes, per week per person (that’s 8 ½ hours).

• A team total of 138,580 minutes across the year – that’s 2309 hours!

• Activities included wheelchair basketball, canicross, yoga, cycling, running swimming cross fit, badminton, dog walks, lake swim, ultra marathons, spinning, ice skating, gym, orienteering, trampolining.

Monday 5k Club

Mondays tend to be team days in the Active Lincolnshire office. At 12.30 there’s a social 5k club, the idea is that whether you’re running, walking or wheeling you get out for 5k (or so!). We’ve invited anyone who works in the same building as us, and the Simon’s team have started to run regularly at lunch time too.

Litter Picking

Once a month we co-ordinate an office litter pick. This regular event was instigated last summer by University of Lincoln student, Kouki during a work placement with us. Kouki had experience of setting up a litter picking group at Tokyo FC in Japan, and with his guidance we decided to try it.

Everyone can participate; we have purchased some litter picking ‘grabbers’ and hoops and go out for half an hour or so collecting some of the many items of litter that are seemingly thrown out of windows of vehicles passing by the trading estate where our office is based.

We clock up steps, have some great conversations and return to the office with a sense of pride, having accomplished something for the good of the place we work in.

Active Hour

The Active Hour is a new employee benefit at Active Lincolnshire for 2025, giving team members the opportunity to take an hour each working week to focus on physical activity.

Whether it’s a walk, a gym session, or simply moving in a way that feels right, the Active Hour is all about flexibility - helping everyone prioritise their health and well-being at a time that works for them.

Team members are finding the flexibility that this gives them, really valuable, and the consensus is it's leading to greater productivity at work.

“As someone juggling work, family life, and other commitments, I know how hard it can be to carve out time for exercise. This benefit reduces that pressure, allowing us to fit in activity when it suits our natural rhythms - be it a morning walk, a quieter gym session during off-peak hours, or even a class that helps re-center in the middle of a busy week.”

Clare Williams, Director of Business Operations and Engagement

Moving into 2025

So, as we start 2025, we are hopeful that the addition of the ‘Active Hour’, our continued commitment to recording and talking about our monthly active minutes, the 5k club and litter picking activities will encourage and enable our team to keep enjoying the benefits of being active.

We have also agreed as a team, that we’ll find a challenge or event that we can work towards together, whether that’s participating or volunteering to support colleagues.

Let us know how you support your colleagues to be active at work?

Find more more guidance and tips for getting your workforce moving in our Knowledge Hub.