Recent research has delivered a remarkably simple message for employers. One of the most effective ways to improve employee wellbeing, energy and productivity may be to encourage people to stand up and walk for just five minutes every hour.

The findings are compelling. Researchers studying more than 11,000 office based employees found that a five minute walking break every hour delivered the greatest and most practical improvement in mood, alertness and productivity. Importantly, the study found no negative impact on work performance. In an age where organisations are searching for complex solutions to engagement and wellbeing challenges, the answer may be surprisingly straightforward.

The challenge is significant. Researchers estimate that many adults now spend around three quarters of their waking hours sitting down. Whether working at a desk, attending virtual meetings or responding to emails, prolonged sedentary behaviour has become embedded in modern working life. The consequences extend beyond physical health, affecting energy levels, concentration, fatigue and overall workplace performance.

For facilities management, this presents a major opportunity.

FM has traditionally focused on creating safe, efficient and productive workplaces. Increasingly, however, the profession is also being called upon to create environments that actively support human wellbeing. The latest evidence suggests that movement should be part of that conversation.

The first opportunity is workplace design. If organisations want employees to move more, workplaces must make movement easy and natural. This means creating attractive circulation routes, encouraging the use of stairs, providing accessible outdoor spaces and designing layouts that promote movement throughout the day. Small design interventions can create significant behavioural change when multiplied across hundreds or thousands of employees.

The second opportunity lies in workplace culture. One of the most interesting findings from the research was that many participants worried about what colleagues or managers would think if they took regular movement breaks. This highlights that the barrier is often not physical but cultural. Facilities management can work alongside HR and leadership teams to normalise movement throughout the working day, making it an accepted and encouraged part of workplace life rather than something employees feel guilty about.

There is also a clear productivity case. For years, many organisations have assumed that more time at a desk equals more output. This research challenges that assumption. Employees who took regular movement breaks reported improved alertness, better mood and reduced fatigue, all without sacrificing performance. In other words, movement is not a distraction from productivity. It can be an enabler of it.

Technology can also play a role. Occupancy data, workplace apps and smart building systems can help organisations understand how spaces are used and identify opportunities to encourage movement. FM teams can use these insights to create environments that support healthier behaviours and better performance outcomes.

Perhaps most importantly, this is an intervention that is accessible to almost every organisation. Unlike major workplace refurbishments or expensive wellbeing programmes, encouraging regular movement requires minimal investment. The potential return, however, is significant.

The research reinforces a broader truth. Workplace wellbeing is often built through small, consistent actions rather than grand initiatives. A five minute walk may seem insignificant in isolation, but when repeated across an organisation every day, the impact on wellbeing, engagement and productivity can be substantial.

Facilities management is uniquely positioned to turn this evidence into action. By creating workplaces that encourage movement, support healthy habits and challenge outdated assumptions about productivity, FM can help organisations build healthier, happier and ultimately higher performing workforces.