You can reduce the risk of stress by 26% – a full 26%. That is an incredible number. Think about the consequences and costs stress has for individuals, their families and your business. And think about the fact that we can actually do something about it relatively easily.
Because there was really just one thing that made the difference in the latest stress study from the National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA):
Those who had a 26% lower risk of severe stress were physically active for 30 minutes a day. That’s it.
Physically active at moderate intensity, meaning getting your heart rate up a little, just like with Tæl Hjerter. It sounds almost too simple.
And then, of course, the questions start:
– “I don’t have time for that.”
– “What kind of physical activity should I do?”
– “Where am I supposed to do it?”
– “How do I know when I’ve done enough?”
The challenges quickly pile up. And these are some of the typical reasons why individuals, businesses and politicians stop before getting started.
Even though the solutions are already there, like Tæl Hjerter, and the benefits are obvious.
A professional stress programme typically costs DKK 15,000–25,000. If an employee becomes seriously affected by stress and goes on sick leave, the total cost to the company can easily exceed DKK 200,000. These are enormous costs we are forced to deal with once the damage has already been done.
It makes little sense that we don’t invest more in prevention. The ROI can be significant.
Across Denmark, NFA has calculated that stress-related absence costs Danish workplaces at least DKK 16.4 billion every year, including DKK 10.4 billion related to sick leave. At the same time, 61.9 million working hours are lost. That has a major impact on productivity, at a time when we are already lacking the people and skills needed in the workforce.
So let’s get started and bring more physical activity into everyday life. It’s not just good for our health. It’s good business too.
With 3 million people in the Danish workforce, workplaces are a natural place to start. But it’s not only the responsibility of businesses to act. Politicians also have a role to play by creating incentive models that motivate companies and employees and make it easier and more attractive to be physically active.
