Stairway to Health
The Canada Safety Council works with the Public Health Agency of Canada through the Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work (CCHALW) to bring active living programs into workplaces. Stairway to Health is a new CCHALW initiative to encourage office workers to use stairways instead of riding elevators. It was launched in Lake Louise in October 2002 at the Health, Work and Wellness Conference.
The simple choice to take the stairs instead of the elevator can make a big difference to employee health and fitness.
- Daily living activities like climbing the stairs significantly contribute to the 30 minutes of daily exercise everyone needs.
- Using the stairs burns twice as many calories as walking, and requires no special skill, equipment or clothing.
- Regular stair users have greater leg strength and aerobic capacity than non climbers.
- Taking the stairs is often faster than waiting for the elevator, especially during peak usage times.
The Stairway to Health Program is designed to help incorporate active living into the workplace. For organizations that already have employee fitness programs, it can be a simple add-on. For those who still need to be convinced, a Web based resource, The Business Case for Active Living at Work (Safety Canada, July 2001) demonstrates the value of fostering employee fitness. The Stairway to Health program offers a good starting point!
Tools to develop and manage a Stairway to Health program was launched online in October 2003. The Web site gives practical advice and also provides management tools, downloadable posters and other promotional resources.
The program is meant to be customized. Strategies will depend on the unique nature of each workplace. For example, some workplaces may opt for an ongoing program, others for a special event or events.
Encouraging the use of stairs is an easy and inexpensive way to enhance employee fitness - especially with the resources from Stairway to Health . The benefits can be significant, including lower turnover rates, reduced absenteeism, fewer medical claims, higher productivity and improved employee morale.
Point-of-choice posters are the most effective way to persuade employees to take the stairs.
updated November 2003
Return to top of page
