Corporate Wellbeing.

Like corporate social responsibility and corporate greening, corporate fitness and wellbeing comes in cycles as companies vacillate over the benefits to their staff and their business of gym membership and running around the block or going for a well deserved beer. Both have their upside and both can lead to work disruption and production loss. Research statistics for presenteeism (showing up at work and not being productive) showing production loss of 20% for back and neck strains and just 4% for alcohol haze giving us some numbers to discuss over a beer as gyms might not be the answer.

For companies to provide fitness facilities or work time to attend gyms and fitness classes can become expensive and I wonder if the Friday drinks aren’t more conducive to staff bonding and building company culture. Are companies using the gym as an out to make their employees feel engaged and motivated by taking the easy road and spending money instead of taking time to be involved. Employee engagement has proven to reach high levels as long as employees feel the company cares about them and management stays involved. Sounds like Friday afternoon drinks to me?

So the discussions continue but maybe they need to take a lead from a much larger statistical base to form definitive conclusions. I give you France and the French population who have decided to snub their collective noses at the fitness culture and lean towards the finer things in life and use their noses to smell the roses and the wine. It seems the French look down on the fitness industry as a niche activity along the lines of boot scooting and parasailing in the Alps. According to the 94.5% of the population, who don’t belong to a gym, sweat and lycra is not a lifestyle decision that will see sitting in cafes drinking coffee and red wine while having a smoke becoming passé anytime soon.

Club Med gym has not opened a new establishment in about a decade and they face an uphill battle to persuade the French on the merits of cardio machines, sweat, strain and jogging while avoiding the pampered pooch poo. Unlike Australia who seem to produce a line of jogging, swimming, cycling politicians, the French were abhorred by pictures of President Sarkozy in running shoes after his last election win.

Olympians and celebrities in Australia hawk the fitness lifestyle from selling swimming pools to vitamin supplements but in France the celebrities are much more in tune with champagne, cheeses and another nob of butter in the cream sauce. They would rather be seen espousing the virtues of creams and potions with guaranteed slimming qualities than be associated with dripping under arms.

So what to make of that for our corporate fitness in Australia? It’s hard to go past a country with a history of great food, wine and lifestyle with not a gym in sight. They must be doing something right as France remains the most visited country on the globe by travellers looking for a great lifestyle and the French seem to live as long as anyone else.

Maybe companies should consider inviting the local French patissier or restaurateur to discuss wellbeing from a corporate standpoint. Do they have an advantage with the satisfaction of a great meal and wine over the endorphin rush of a good work out? Could staff wellbeing be as much about the good meal with management at the same table discussing important issues?

I wonder if the French syndicate that won today’s Melbourne cup are heading to the gym for a quick workout before hitting the town? Now where was that boulangerie?