Sport undoubtedly fosters positive relationships between colleagues and more productive teamwork. It favors the inclusion of professionals in companies while promoting diversity and motivation.
The benefits of incorporating sports into your personal life
Regular physical activity and exercise improve anxiety, depression and cognitive dysfunction, reduce stress, and have positive effects on neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and some types of dementia and mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.
Integrating sport into the work environment is not only a growing trend, but also offers a number of significant benefits for both employees and companies. Here are some key reasons why physical exercise in the workplace can make a difference:
Improved health and well-being
Regular exercise reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. By promoting physical activity among employees, companies can help improve the overall health and well-being of their workforce.
Increased energy and productivity
Exercise releases endorphins, neurotransmitters that help reduce stress and improve mood. As a result, employees who exercise regularly tend to have more energy, concentration and productivity at work.
Stress and anxiety reduction
Physical exercise is an excellent way to release tension and reduce stress and anxiety. Incorporating sports activities into the work environment can provide employees with an avenue to clear their minds and face work challenges with a calmer, more positive attitude.
Promotion of teamwork
Participating in sports activities at work, such as soccer teams or group yoga sessions, promotes camaraderie and strengthens bonds between colleagues. This can improve collaboration, communication and cohesion within the work team.
Reduction of absenteeism
Employees who exercise regularly tend to have fewer sick days and absenteeism. This is because exercise strengthens the immune system and improves overall health, which reduces the likelihood of illness and injury.
Improving the work environment
Fostering a healthy and active work environment can help improve the work climate and employee satisfaction. Employees appreciate it when companies care about their well-being and provide them with opportunities to stay active and healthy.
Talent attraction and retention
Offering wellness programs that include sports activities can help companies attract and retain talent. Employees value additional benefits beyond salary, and a work environment that promotes a healthy lifestyle can be a deciding factor in an employer’s choice.
In short, incorporating sports into the work environment not only benefits employee health and well-being, but can also have a positive impact on productivity, teamwork and job satisfaction. It is a worthwhile investment for companies looking to promote an active and healthy lifestyle among their workforce.
My experience in the sport
I believe that sports open many doors throughout life. Being able to be a professional basketball player allowed me to live in different cities in Argentina and Chile.
I have played in 19 clubs throughout my sporting career and I am currently coaching my second team as a professional. And I consider myself to have a very important experience in culture, customs, tourism and above all leadership.
Leadership
Many athletes and technical directors, recognized for their leadership skills in sports, train or give talks to entrepreneurs who want to be better leaders. In the sports world and in the business world, I believe there are similarities.
In both, team building is the result of a process. Neither in sports, nor in business, teams are built overnight; both require effort, talent, work and knowledge. Clear leadership and continuity of a line of thought are needed. In addition, they share a sense of belonging and the need for collective integration.
Successes and failures
In sports, results are immediate. A game is won, lost or at most tied. In a company, success or failure is visualized, impacted and measured in the medium or long term.
A company’s successes are hardly lost the next day. If a company is well managed, its successes will last over time. In sports, you win today and lose tomorrow. You have to be prepared.
If there is one thing that motivates me a lot about working at Telefonica, it is having Pau Gasol as a brand ambassador. This is the great engine of the company for me:
- The best player in the history of Spanish basketball will represent the company worldwide until 2025.
- Gasol embodies the values of confidence, talent, teamwork and self-improvement that Telefónica identifies with and will promote through this collaboration.
- Telefónica ‘signed’ Pau Gasol to contribute to the promotion of healthy lifestyles, strengthen basketball content on Movistar Plus+ and contribute his experience in the world of entrepreneurship and training.
