Fit for work

Teacher ’s notes
Understanding the article
Level: Intermediate
Students answer the questions with information from
Time: 90 minutes + the article.

Summary: This lesson is about how the Key:

modern working environment requires us to sit 1. She had a heart attack when she was just 44.
too much. In this lesson, students: 2. She didn’t find time in her busy work day, and exercise was
1. study an article that discusses how not considered to be productive.
physically active employees are healthier 3. The time ‘lost’ on exercise is made back because employees
and more productive, and suggests what are more productive after they have taken a break for exercise.
companies can do to encourage their staff 4. offer financial incentives for keeping fit; sponsor workplace
to be more active; sports teams; offer flexible working hours to allow employees to
2. choose the correct statistics relating to
exercise before or after work
physical activity;
5. more than 20 million
3. choose and compare the best advice for
getting active; 6. 80 per cent
4. discuss their own activity levels and what
their own companies do to encourage Numbers and figures
them to stay fit.
In task a, students discuss which number they think
Materials: One copy of the worksheet is most likely to be correct in each point, then mark
per student their answers. Provide them with the correct answers.
Then, in task b, they should say whether they find
Group size: Any these figures to be completely obvious, rather surprising
or shocking, etc.

Note: This lesson plan is for both pre-experience and Key:

in‑work business students based on an original article 1. 39 per cent
first published in Business Spotlight issue 6/2018. 2. €41 billion
3. 74–78 days
Warmer 4. 20 per cent
5. 27 per cent
Students talk about their activity levels during work time 6. 35 per cent
and at weekends.
Tips and advice
Key words
In task a, students choose one piece of advice from the
Students match the key words and expressions with article that they consider to be the most useful and also
the definitions, then find the words in the article before easy to follow. Then they should compare answers and
reading through the article and noticing how they are justify their choices. In task b, they first read other pieces
used in context. The words in the task are in the order of advice, then discuss them within the framework of the
that they appear in the article. two questions.

Key: Discussion
1. treacherous 7. regardless of
2. pill form 8. boot camp Students discuss whether they lead active or busy lives
3. sought-after 9. provided and tell the group what their company already offers
4. resilience 10. conflict and whether they or their colleagues take advantage of
5. sick days 11. incentives the offers.
6. work ethic 12. sponsoring
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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT / Fit for work

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Fit for work

Teacher ’s notes
Group task Related topics on onestopenglish

In pairs, students write one or two suggestions – with The following listening lesson looks into obesity
details – about what to offer the staff in the way of and exercise.
fitness courses, physical activities, relaxation treatments
and so on. www.onestopenglish.com/clil/secondary/english-across-
the-curriculum/topic-based-listening-lessons/consumer-
Collect the papers containing the suggestions, and hot-topics-obesity/551222.article
redistribute them, making sure students do not get their
own suggestions back.

Give the students a couple of minutes to read and discuss

the suggestions on their new pieces of paper.

Hold a group talk in which students each say what is on

their paper and what they think of the suggestion. Is it
likely to be popular or not in their company? If not, why
not? Is there a way to adapt it so that the staff may be
more inclined to take up the offer?

As a whole group, students decide which of the

suggestions (maximum three) they would try out first in
their company.

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 Fit for work

Worksheet
1 Warmer

How active or inactive …

• have you been today?

• were you during your most recent whole day at work?

• are you generally at the weekend?

2 Key words

Match the key words and expressions to the definitions below. Find and underline them in the
article, then read the article and note how they are used in context.

boot camp conflict incentives pill form provided regardless of

resilience sick days sought-after sponsoring treacherous work ethic

1. very dangerous, especially because the dangers are not obvious

2. in the shape of tablets

3. wanted by many people but not easy to get

4. someone’s ability to become healthy, happy or strong again after an illness, disappointment or other

problem

5. a period of time you take off work because you are ill

6. the belief that hard work is important

7. without being affected or influenced by something else

8. an intensive physical training course

9. only if a particular thing happens or is done

10. if different ideas or opinions do this, they cannot all be right or all happen

11. things that make you want to do something or to work harder, because you know that you will benefit

by doing this

12. organizing and supporting an event or activity

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 Fit for work

Worksheet
by Julian Earwaker
Fit for work
n, more than 5
of According to the British Heart Foundatio
Office jobs are bad for our health. Most y inactive, costing
20 million people in the UK are physicall
us spend all day sitting behind a desk and each year. It’s
the NHS around £1.2 billion (€1.3 billion)
have little time for exercise, but making per cent of the
a similar story in the US, where only 20
time for physical activity would benefit
population is getting enough exercise.
both employers and employees. JULIAN
be came in pill form, 6
EARWAKER explains how exercise can Health experts often say that if exercise
on the market.
incorporated into working life. it would be the most sought-after drug
been taking it. In
Certainly, Harriet Mulvaney would have
smoking, in any sort of
1 It’s been described as “more dangerous than her busy job, she seldom found time to fit
treacherous than hour each way to
kills more people than HIV and is more physical activity. Every day, she drov e an
sitting. The ten hour s sitting at
parachuting”. What is it? The answer is: and from work, where she spent eight to
“the smoking of uctive. Her story
HuffPost warns that sitting is fast becoming her desk. Exercise was not seen to be prod
aging 9.3 hours per place exercise to
our generation”. We are apparently aver is not unusual – yet the benefits of work
we do about it? employees and employers alike are clea r.
day sitting on our backsides. So what can
tol Universities 7
2 One obvious improvement is to walk or cycle
to work rather A study by Leeds Metropolitan and Bris
performance,
than take the bus or car. Or to get off a stop
or two earlier and found that “exercising improved mood and
-based
walk the remaining distance. Fitness apps
can help build 10 to leading to better concentration, [better] work
stres s”. Research
15 minutes of exercise into a busy day. A fitne
ss tracker can relationships and heightened resilience to
ent in
set reminders for from Denmark shows a significant improvem
monitor exercise levels (and heart rate) and in sick days
g. The growing trend performance at work as well as a reduction
taking “active-minute” breaks from sittin plac e phys ical activity
when employees take part in work
for standing desks can help, too. exer cise.
and coaching, as compared to home-based
ing, work
3 “If you have a job or lifestyle where you have
to sit for Improvements in memory, problem-solv
make is to take been obse rved in studies.
prolonged periods, the best suggestion I can ethic and mental health have
ed that these
a movement break every half hour,” said Keit
h Diaz from Importantly, US scientists recently show
the Columbia University Department of Med
icine in a CNN benefits apply regardless of age.
viour change
interview. “Our findings suggest this one beha So why not pay workers to keep fit? Ryan
Holmes, CEO 8
could reduce your risk of death.” of Hootsuite, a social media company , enco urages his
gym and to join
44 years old when 700-plus workforce to use the company
4 HR consultant Harriet Mulvaney was just sports before,
stairs at home. yoga classes, boot-camp workouts and team
she experienced a heart attack climbing the loyees can block
king back on it now, during and after their working day. Emp
Fortunately, she made a full recovery. “Loo ided it doesn’t
y told the BBC. out an hour of the day for exercise, prov
I would say I was very inactive,” Mulvane
I was just busy.” conflict with meetings.
“I thought I was active, but actually, I think
Continued on next page
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 Fit for work

Worksheet
by Julian Earwaker
Fit for work
of a coffee shop or
shed and day: by holding walking meetings. Instead
9 “I see employees return from workouts refre boardroom meeting, she asks business partn
ers and colleagues to
the BBC.
better focused on their jobs,” Holmes told join her on a walk or hike. She told the Huff
Post that she listens
more in terms of
“Time lost on exercise is made back and better, keeps her mobile devices (and inter
ruptions) out of sight
improved productivity.” and feels more creative as a result.
& Consultancy suggest furth er 12
10 UK experts ERS Research Since her heart
can take: orga nizing gym and Harriet Mulvaney has made changes, too. ity
simple steps organizat ions and phys ical-activ
workers in activity attack, she has joined exercise programmes
sports discounts for employees, involving soring challenges. “I had to think about the job that I did and the life
cial incen tives for keep ing fit, spon generally looking
planning, offering finan e I was leading,” she told the BBC, “and start
s and providing flexible hour s to mak
workplace sports team after myself better.”
time for physical activity.
alist, prison
JULIAN EARWAKER is a freelance journ
Business consultant and author Nilofer Merchant has found an book author.
11 her busy working writer-in-residence and
unusual way to build physical activity into
© Business Spotlight, 6/2018
www.business-spotlight.de

3 Understanding the article

Answer the questions using information from the article.

1. What made Harriet Mulvaney realize that she had to become more active and less busy?

2. Why didn’t she spend more time exercising?

3. Why is time spent exercising during the working day not wasted time?

4. If companies cannot offer time off for exercise during working hours, what could they offer instead?

5. How many people in the UK are said to be physically inactive?

6. What proportion of the US workforce does not get enough exercise?

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Worksheet
4 Numbers and figures

a. Decide which number you think is most likely to be correct in each key point from a British heart
charity’s report about physical activity.

GETTING PHYSICAL

1. Some 29 / 39 / 49 per cent of adults in the UK are physically inactive.

2. About €1 / €21 / €41 billion is the global cost of physical inactivity to healthcare.

3. The average man and woman in the UK spends the equivalent of 38 / 58 / 78 and 74 days,
respectively, each year sitting.

4. Physical-activity programmes at work have been found to reduce absenteeism by up to 5 / 15 / 20

per cent.

5. Physically active workers take 7 / 17 / 27 per cent fewer sick days.

6. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 35 / 40 / 45
per cent and the risk of early death by up to 30 per cent.

Source: British Heart Foundation: www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/publications/statistics/physical-

inactivity-report-2017

b.  Which of the figures in task a do you find the most shocking, surprising and unsurprising?

5 Tips and advice

a. Underline what you think is the most useful and easy-to-follow piece of advice in the article.
Compare your answers and say why you chose that particular piece of advice.

b. Now read these further pieces of advice. Which could you incorporate into your working day?
Which are just not practical in your work situation? Give reasons.

TIPS FOR REDUCING SITTING TIME

1. Stand on the train or bus.

2. Take the stairs or walk up escalators.

3. Set a reminder to get up every 30 minutes.

4. Place a laptop on a large box on your desk so you have to stand up to use it – or use a standing desk.

5. Stand or walk around while on the phone.

6. Take a walking break every time you stop for coffee or tea.

7. Walk to a colleague’s desk or office instead of emailing or phoning.

8. Take your dog to work to increase activity and reduce stress.

Source: BBC Health News: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39490607

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Worksheet
6 Discussion

• What are the differences between an active and a busy life? Which kind of life do you live?

• What does your company already do to improve the health and physical wellbeing of
its workforce? Do you take advantage of these opportunities?

7 Group task

Your new boss believes that happier and fitter staff members will not only take fewer sick days but
also be more productive and more likely to achieve their monthly targets. She doesn’t know the
team well enough yet to decide what might be well accepted and so she has asked for your help
in deciding what fitness courses, physical activities, relaxation treatments and so on to offer staff.
Write your suggestions down.

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