Office Chair Exercises to Promote for Corporate Wellness

For remote workers, the situation is even more dire. Sure, working in bed or on the couch may feel luxurious in the moment, but that indulgent slump is a recipe for posture issues and pain.

You probably can't ship standing desks to all your remote employees or encourage them to work less on their computers. However, you can help them stay comfortable and healthy at work with office chair exercises. These simple workouts promote good posture and physical health, helping people build better habits. They also provide a much-needed productivity boost.

This guide walks you through how you can support corporate wellness and maintain high morale, whether your employees work from home, in the office, or a combination of both.

Why Promote Office Chair Exercises to Remote and Hybrid Employees?

Humans aren't built to sit for long periods, especially without breaks. Too much sitting can cause mental and physical health issues, including:

• Back pain
• Cardiovascular disease
• Colon, lung, and uterine cancer
• Depression
• Excessive weight
• Fatigue
• Poor posture
• Weak muscles, especially in the lower back and legs

Teaching your employees how to exercise in their office chair​s can help them avoid dangerous sedentary behavior. For instance, someone who does seated marches during a Zoom meeting may feel energized instead of reaching for their fourth cup of sugary coffee.

Office chair exercises also improve mental wellness. Regular physical activity decreases the risk of depression and anxiety. People who exercise even moderately also tend to be more productive and feel less emotionally exhausted at work. It's like an anti-burnout magic spell.

Additionally, supporting workplace wellness with simple chair exercises creates a more positive environment. It shows you genuinely care about your employees' health and want to help them meet their physical and work goals, even when you don't see them in person.

Top Office Chair Exercises for Workday Wellness

You might assume that your employees can't fit in a workout at their desk, but that's not true. There are plenty of simple yet effective chair exercises that any worker can do — and they won't even disturb their neighbor in the next cubicle.

Seated stretching exercises in an office chair​ are an easy way to start. Encourage employees to stretch their necks and chests frequently. They can also do ankle and hamstring stretches to loosen up their leg muscles. Even a few stretches between meetings can have a significant impact on flexibility and comfort.

For a more vigorous workout, suggest exercises that activate the core and lower body. One discreet workout involves squeezing and relaxing muscle groups for three to 10 seconds at a time. For instance, workers can do a thigh press by putting their palms on the outside of their knees and trying to open their legs. No equipment necessary.

Chair calf raises and seated leg extensions also work the lower body. Another option is chair squats, which can help prevent the dreaded "dead butt syndrome." That's a feeling of numbness or tingling in the glutes that often occurs after prolonged sitting.

Workers can also sneak in short upper-body toning exercises. Desk planks and push-ups build arm and core muscles and won't attract as much attention as getting down on the floor. A heavy stack of books or even a large thermos can also serve as makeshift dumbbells.

How To Incorporate Office Chair Exercises Into Employee Engagement

At first glance, it may seem that someone doing sitting exercises at work has little to do with building a community. However, office chair exercises build engagement and camaraderie, even if your team is scattered across the world.

Begin by offering on-demand desk-friendly workout videos. Fitness On Demand has over 1,200 virtual classes, including stretching and core exercises. If employees are craving a lunchtime workout or need to work out some nervous energy, they can stream these courses from their phones.

Chair workouts don't need to happen in isolation, either.

• Get your entire company involved by hosting workplace wellness challenges or competitions for remote workers.
• Offer incentives to team members who achieve a four-week streak of consistent workouts.
• Focus on correcting poor posture by sharing different stretches and core exercises for several weeks.

Be sure to encourage participants to take before and after photos so they can see the evidence of their hard work.

Of course, it's not always easy to remember to exercise when someone is in the zone at work. Use the Flex App to send personal reminders Monday through Friday. A cheerful "Hey Katie, have you stretched yet today?" will keep fitness fresh on your team's minds.

You can also place digital signage around your office to remind people to take quick breaks. Consistency is the key to healthy workplace habits.

Driving Retention With Accessible Fitness Options

Supporting corporate and remote wellness involves more than paying for gym memberships or ordering the occasional healthy lunch for your team. It's all about demonstrating that you're genuinely committed to supporting your employees' mental and physical well-being, whether they're in the office or working on their couch at home.

Look for opportunities to promote holistic wellness. Offer meditation workshops to teach employees how to de-stress at work. Or bring in a nutritionist for a series of seminars on healthy eating for busy workers. Your team will appreciate the chance to learn new tips from experts. Plus, these events will make them feel satisfied and appreciative of the company even when they're in a slump.

You can also offer hybrid-friendly fitness classes that workers can attend in-person or online. Schedule a Wednesday morning yoga class for a mid-week energy boost, or invite employees to join you for a short stretching seminar. Stream these events through the Flex App, so remote team members can tune in. When you help employees establish and maintain healthy habits, it boosts employee retention.

Rather than an afterthought, make chair workouts a core part of your health and wellness initiatives. Are you organizing a cardio challenge for American Heart Month? Set aside a day for chair exercises, and explain how they can prevent blood clots. If you send a monthly email with workout ideas, spotlight seated leg extensions or chair squats.

By normalizing office workouts, you'll teach employees that fitness is a lifestyle, not something that only happens in the gym. Over time, this culture of self-care can build loyalty and retention.

Encouraging Consistency and Healthy Work Routines

Even the most laid-back bosses probably don't want their employees doing hour-long workouts on the clock. Plus, watching someone do desk planks during a team meeting is sure to distract everyone else on the call.

Help your workers find the right balance by encouraging them to incorporate micro-workouts into their daily routine. This could be as simple as setting a phone reminder to stretch and walk around a bit every hour. These quick bursts of movement add up over the course of a long workday. Plus, they're a great way to clear the mind after a long morning squinting at spreadsheets or support tickets.

People could also spend three minutes doing a different chair exercise every time they complete a task. Answered 10 emails? Do a few shoulder rolls to stretch the upper back. After the morning stand-up meeting, it's time for seated marches, and so on.

And don't forget about mental health. Encourage your team to pair physical exercise with mindfulness and breathing practices. Offer short on-demand classes and meditation through a mobile app like the Flex App. Someone who just finished a tense client meeting, for instance, could do a body scan to de-stress and shake off negative emotions.

Supporting Modern Workers With Flexible Fitness

With the recent wave of return-to-office mandates, many workers are spending long hours in an uncomfortable office chair. Remote workers also spend plenty of time sitting, even if they have more freedom over where they work. After all, it's challenging to use an elliptical machine and design software simultaneously, or create marketing emails while lifting weights.

Keep these sitters engaged and active with office chair exercises. These activities don't require any fancy equipment, and they're easy to fit in between presentations and meetings.

You don't have to create this content on your own. Fitness On Demand offers many types of virtual classes, including core, meditation, and stretching courses. With the Flex App, your employees can access these on-demand courses from the office, at home, or even their favorite co-working space.

To learn more about how Fitness On Demand can help you support corporate and remote workers, request a demo today.

FAQs on Office Chair Exercises

How to exercise while sitting in an office chair?

Seated stretching exercises can help workers stay limber and pain-free without having to stand up. Another option is chair squats, which involve bending the knees and hips over the chair, then pushing back into a sitting position without touching the seat.

Do those chair exercises really work?

Yes! Chair exercises can improve balance and strength. They're beneficial for older adults and those with poor mobility, who may not have the stamina to work out with traditional equipment.