July 2025
An active workplace is a happy and healthy workplace.
Being physically active can significantly improve your physical, mental, and social wellbeing. A brisk 30-minute walk, done five days a week, can:
- Reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 20-35%
- Reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by 30-40%
- And reduce your risk of some cancers by 20-30%
Studies suggest that an active workforce can be less stressed and take 27% fewer sick days per year.
Walking offers more than just health and wellbeing benefits. It also helps workplaces cut their carbon footprint. A short walk might not seem like much, but when many people make small changes, the impact adds up.
In 2017, transport produced 37% of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions and cars caused 40% of that. By walking instead of driving a 2-mile journey five days a week, you can cut your carbon footprint by 161 kg CO2e a year. That’s the same amount of carbon a 3 km² area of native woodland absorbs annually.
Walking is the simplest activity to get active in the workplace. It fits easily in and around the working day. It's free. No special equipment is required, and most people can take part. It can also improve mental health. Regular walking can:
- Reduce your risk of depression and dementia by 20-30%
- Improve your sleep
- Prevent and reduce anxiety and stress
There are several ways to incorporate more walking into your daily work routine. You can walk all or part of the way to and from work. If you work from home, enjoy a short "false commute" around your local neighbourhood. You can use a standing desk, take the stairs instead of the lift or head out for a lunchtime walk.
For July, we encourage colleagues to walk more often to improve their wellbeing. Come and join one of our staff-led walks from our venues to increase your steps and take in our lovely city.
Whether it's your day off, the start or end of your shift, or as a walking meeting, we would love to see you come along and join colleagues to get more active. You can book onto one of our walks using the link below.
How many steps is the ‘right’ amount?
You might have come across the idea that 10,000 steps a day is the magic number. Many smartphone and wearable step counters are automatically set to this target. But the story behind this figure might surprise you.
The idea of 10,000 steps a day traces back to a marketing campaign launched by a step counter company during the 1964 Olympics in Japan. This number was picked because the Japanese character for 10,000 (万) looks like a person walking.
How many miles is 10,000 steps?
Depending on the length of your stride, 10,000 steps is almost five miles or eight kilometres. It would take most people between one to two hours to walk 10,000 steps, if they did it in one go. Walking 10,000 steps burns between 300 to 800 calories, depending on your weight and height.
Should we all be aiming for this? The most comprehensive research to date, found that as few as 2,337 steps a day started to lessen the risk of dying from heart and circulatory diseases, while at least 3,867 steps reduced the risk of dying from any cause.
Above this amount, the researchers found that every extra 1,000 steps a day was linked with a 15 % reduction in the risk of dying. For people aged 60 and over, the biggest improvement in health was seen in people taking 6,000 to 10,000 steps, after which the benefits tailed off. For younger ages, it was between 7,000 and 13,000 steps.
What should we take away from the research?
Everyone is different and the amount of physical activity needed for good health will vary. If 10,000 steps a day is well above what you typically do (and that’s the case for most of us), you’re better off starting with a more realistic target, such as 1,000 steps more than you’re currently doing.
That way you’re more likely to stick with it and build from there. After all, the science shows even small gains in step count make a big difference. To boost the health benefits, aim to walk at a brisk pace, meaning you can talk comfortably but would be too out of breath to sing.
Source: British Heart Foundation
7 easy ways to increase your step count
- Look at what you already do
Most of us could be moving more, so knowing what you do now can help you set realistic goals. Try spending a week noting down every time you walk and how far. Some people find it helpful to use a pedometer, smartphone app or wearable device to see how many steps they take. - Build up slowly in small chunks
If you push yourself too hard, and too fast, too soon, you’re unlikely to keep it up and may injure yourself. Instead, start by doing a little more than you currently do. Gradually increase how often you walk, the distance and, if possible, your speed. Remember, you do not have to do all your walking in one go. You could, for example, space out three 10-minute sessions through the day. - Work it into your daily routine
Walking is not just long rambles in the countryside. Can you build walking into your regular day by ditching the car or getting off the bus or train a stop early? Some people find ‘habit stacking’ helpful. This means taking something you already do regularly and ‘pinning’ the new habit to it. For example, can you go for a 10-minute walk every day after lunch? Or, if you have a regular call with a friend or family member, can you make a habit of walking while you’re on the phone? - Walk with friends or colleagues
Strolling with friends or family turns exercise into an enjoyable social occasion. Next time someone wants to see you, suggest a walk instead, or as well as, your usual meal or drink together. You could also make some work meetings into walking meetings. Having a regular weekly or daily walk with someone will mean you’re more likely to stick with it. Or you could join a walking club and make some new friends. - Make it comfortableThere’s no quicker way to lose motivation than to be caught out wearing the wrong thing. Avoid blisters and leg pain by choosing well-fitted, comfortable shoes. Wear light clothing and choose cooler times of day in the summer to walk, and have warm and waterproof layers in winter. Try to gently stretch after your walk, so you feel less achy later.
- Have fun
If walking feels boring, jazz it up. Listen to music or a podcast through your phone or a portable music player. If you walk on a treadmill, watch your favourite TV show while getting in your steps. Some people turn walking into a game by using apps on their phones such as Pokémon GO, Walkr and geocaching.com. Enjoy nature? You could mix up your walks by going out at different times of day and noticing how the nature around you changes. - Find a cause you care about
Signing up to a charity walk could give you the push you need. Going for regular walks will help you build stamina for the big event. Other ways to get moving for a good cause could be litter picks in your local park or beach cleans.
Source: British Heart Foundation