Deskercise: the impact of 10 minutes of exercise on mental and physical wellbeing in the construction industry

The benefit of physical exercise on disease prevention and mental health has been well documented, with current evidence indicating that just 10 minutes of exercise completed daily can reduce mortality by 15%. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) there are few areas in public health - such as physical activity - where evidence on required action is so convincing, cost effective and practical. The concept of a desk-based exercise initiative (Deskercise) may be a solution to address the burden of ill health and create positive and healthy environments in the workplace. This paper examines the impact of the Deskercise initiative on both mental and physical wellbeing within the construction industry, where there is a need for targeted interventions to address specific work-related stressors. The research was a mixed methods approach using interviews and questionnaire data to analyse the benefits of participating in a daily Deskercise intervention. The results suggest that the role of the senior leadership team is critical to the success of this initiative. Consequently, Deskercise is a simple, time efficient, inclusive and effective wellbeing intervention; highlighting that physical health, mental health, alongside social wellbeing can all profit from a desk based initiative within the workplace.