Practice managers need to set a good example to their staff by taking exercise, a new report claims.
Legal & General said senior employees are generally leading positive lifestyles by keeping fit and healthy.
The survey of 2,000 adults by the firm found bosses are less likely to complain that they do not have time to exercise or follow a healthy diet.
Almost a third of managers said they know what they should eat to stay healthy, compared with one in five members of staff.
Dr John Delfosse, medical officer for Legal & General Group Protection business, said: “Exercise and diet have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of employees. Different responsibilities at work entail different health risks.
“As this research shows, people in managerial roles are often more likely to suffer from symptoms of stress than their junior colleagues, but on the whole follow a healthier lifestyle.”
Managing director Diane Buckley added: “The research would indicate that senior managers are possibly taking advantage of benefits available to them in the workplace to ensure they have a healthy lifestyle.
“It would be great if those same managers were seen as an example to their staff by encouraging them to also exercise and follow a healthy diet.”
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“As a Practice Manager who exercises 6/7 days a week – circuit training, badminton, running, swimming, gym, and completed the London Marathon this year and has applied for a place next year, I couldn’t agree more! Exercise is a great stress reliever and gets me out of the practice or I would be here until midnight! I sometimes go running at lunch times – the staff think I’m mad! It would be great to do a lunch time workout for staff but we haven’t got a room big enough, and we have to stagger lunch anyway to keep the surgery open. Several staff have dogs and get their exercise walking – Name and address supplied
“One GP and a practice nurse have just done the New York Marathon!” – Name and address supplied
“We have lunchtime walks available to our staff once a week. These are conducted by patients who have trained to become walk leaders. The walk leaders take groups of patients on walks around our surgery area as well. This has been instigated by the surgery as part of our healthy pulses clinics for patients with diabetes and cariovascular problems” – Nicky Chivers, Reception Team Leader, Milton Abbas Surgery
“We work out during our dinner break as a practice team!” – Name and address supplied
