IS your idea of an office workout limited to jumping to conclusions, flying off the handle, carrying things too far, dodging responsibilities and pushing your luck? Well then, what you need is a reality check and an instant move to a better office — perhaps one of the many corporate houses that offers their employees a high-tech, well-equipped gym, and provides incentives to ensure they use it as well.

Whether you’re facing family fatigue, trying to handle a hectic schedule or battling deadline stress, a rigorous office workout is the simple solution and the only place where the modern workplace warrior doesn’t mind losing badly — in kilos that is.

For long a given in the West, over the last few years gyms in the Indian workplace have gone from being a luxury to a standard requirement. And contrary to what cynics would like to believe, they are not a waste of space or there just to provide a good photo-op for glossy company brochures. In fact it has been a truth long acknowledged, and now backed up by several studies, including one published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, that people who exercise on a regular basis are more productive, happy, efficient and calm. Researchers found that exercise re-energised staff, improved their concentration and problem solving abilities. Today, India Inc is fast waking up to the fact that the fitness of its employees is directly related to its balance sheet.

HR experts concur with the many in-house corporate surveys that underline the many benefits of workplace wellness programmes, which include lower employee absenteeism and reduced wastage of company money.

According to Ron Goetzel, director of Cornell University Institute for Health and Productivity Studies, a company investment of $100-$150 per employee each year to participate in a wellness programme can save it $300 to $450 per employee every year. The savings can take a few years to build up and manifest in reduced health expenditure. Another survey by The Art of Health Promotion in 2005 suggests that companies that instituted employee health and wellness programmes realised a 30 per cent reduction in medical and absenteeism costs in less than four years. This message is not lost on companies like Google, which provides on-site fitness centres, free classes and discounted personal training to its 10,000 employees worldwide. “We also offer our monthly newsletter, a fitness website, fitness expos, seminars, and even a ‘Stretching on the Toilet' bathroom publication,” Josh Glynn, Google’s fitness programme manager, says.

For many employees, imagining a boss who encourages them to leave their desk and hit the gym, may seem a bit far-fetched, but many superiors are doing exactly that, because regular exercise is proved to encourage team work and increase productivity.

Sumeet Goel, 31, team leader at a national cellular service provider, claims his office gym has been nothing less than a life- saver. “I work insane hours, drink, smoke and adore food and have no time to exercise otherwise. The 40 minutes I spend each day in the office gym is my sanity. I would not be able to manage otherwise,” he says.

For those wondering how to squeeze out time from a busy schedule, Prameet Kotak, proprietor of RAPTfx and a personal trainer who looks after the fitness regimes of several corporate biggies, recommends ulilising lunch time, where, in 30 to 45 minutes, executives can pack in a good workout, and eat something later at their desks. The 30-minute workout teaches employees time management and is crucial in building a healthy body and relaxed mind. Instructor Taj Harris explains some exercises are better suited to the corporate environment than others. “Sometimes it is difficult to offer equipment-based classes in an office,” he says. “In that case, yoga classes have proved very successful. Healthy employees stay far away from the doctor’s office and hospital.”

But like in any other sphere of endeavour, motivation is the key. A workplace wellness programme starts with company leaders leading by example, taking part in their corporate fitness programme and working closely with a wellness coach. Company leaders should make sure that employees are aware of their wellness efforts, posting weight loss results or smoking cessation results on company intranet or bulletin boards for everyone to see.

Vikram Baidyanath, CEO and president of the Baidyanath group, is in the forefront in setting an example for his colleagues. He has been practising yoga to increase both his mental and physical fitness. “I love myself and respect my body. If something is so important for you, then you will automatically be motivated to take care of it,” he says.

The 31-year-old entrepreneur suggests: “One does not need to take out extra time for your body but changing your lifestyle in simple ways will do you a world of good. For example, use the stairs instead of taking the lift. Replace your regular cup of tea with green tea instead.”

Sometimes, despite having a gym a corridor away, many employees have fallen off the fitness wagon. “We had a state-of-the-art gym in our office but it was eventually shut down because of months of disuse,” says Nandini Singh, a media analyst. “Excercising in the office is a nice idea but not very practical because there is always some work or the other to do. Employees were so busy working that the exercise equipment was soon collecting cobwebs.”

But for an increasing number of office goers, working out at work is the smart way to go.