How Portafina's Findings Could Make Your Workforce Healthier

November 21 2018 - Health is becoming an increasingly important topic of conversation, especially amongst employers. The reality is that the healthier the workforce is, the more likely they are to perform well in the workplace. Portafina recently carried out a survey of over 2,000 people in the age groups of over 50s and under 30s, and the findings were insightful. Seeing as the workforce usually consists of people from different age groups, these findings may be something that could be used to make your workforce healthier.

When it comes to over 50s or baby boomers, it seems as though they're more health conscious than millennials. For one, this is because it was found that 33% of the over 50s who were surveyed recognized the importance of a healthy lifestyle and seem to reap the benefits when they look after themselves. In addition to this, 8.3% of over 50s are said to walk at least 10,000 steps a day which could also attribute to a healthier lifestyle.

Another interesting finding is that over 50s tend to prefer outdoor exercise as opposed to doing so indoors. This could be because they come from a generation where technology wasn't as pervasive making physical activities outdoors a lot more common. Seeing as Portafina found that just 10% of over 50s actually have a gym membership, there could be an element of truth to this.

On the other hand, this could be because gyms don't typically target over 50s or have trained staff that can cater to their needs. Data also found that 65% of over 50s are more likely to be active during 9-5 hours. This is a hidden opportunity for gyms as only 27% of under 30s were found to be active during the same hours.

For the most part, it seems that for over 50s, being active is a significant part of their lifestyle with 18% being active every day and over 32% exercising as a part of their daily routine. It's possible that this could be attributed to work and cultural norms during their era which required a lot more physical activity than this technology age does.

When it comes to younger generations, it isn't so much that they don't care about health, but in comparison to over 50s, it doesn't seem to be a part of their lifestyle. Portafina's survey found that 17.5% of under 30s claim to have a sedentary lifestyle meaning they don't move around much when engaging in activities. This could be because it isn't something they were accustomed to growing up, especially seeing as few parents know how much physical activity their kids should get and as a result, may not have enforced it growing up.

The data also found that only 16% of under thirties are said to recognise the importance of a healthy lifestyle as well as reap the benefits. However, they are more likely to go to the gym as a way of reducing stress which suggests they understand the importance of looking after their mental health too. Also, generation Z expect a pension as a standard part of a first job suggesting they can see how critical healthy finances and preparing for old age are in the grand scheme of things too.

In terms of how all of these statistics ties into making your workforce healthier, by choosing to encourage a more active as opposed to a sedentary lifestyle in the workplace, the chances of employees leading healthier lifestyles and planning for the future could increase. You can learn a lot more about healthy living and finances if you follow Portafina on Facebook as well as on their other social media platforms.

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• Portafina Linked In
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• @Portafina UK on Twitter.

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