Support Sitting Less and Moving More

What’s involved?

Reducing sedentary time works best when workplaces use a mix of strategies. Combine employee input, leadership support, meeting practices, reminders, education and workspace changes instead of relying on one approach alone.

1. Understand sitting patterns and employee needs
   • Identify where sitting happens most: Look at which roles, tasks or routines involve long periods of sitting during the workday.
   • Ask employees what would work: Talk with employees about what types of movement breaks, reminders or workplace supports would realistically fit their work.
   • Understand barriers: Ask employees what makes it hard to sit less and move more during the day, such as workload, meeting schedules, space, equipment or safety needs.
   • Plan for different roles: Choose options that fit desk-based, remote, driving, customer-facing and other work environments.
2. Build a culture that supports moving more
   • Make movement normal: Encourage standing, stretching and short movement breaks as a regular part of the workday.
   • Lead by example: Ask managers and supervisors to model movement breaks and support flexibility so employees don’t feel judged for stepping away from their workstation.
3. Build movement into meetings and daily routines
   • Add movement to meetings: In meetings longer than 60 minutes, build in a short break to stand, stretch or move.
   • Try walking conversations: Use walking meetings or walking phone calls where appropriate.
   • Use meetings formats that support movement: Try standing discussions, breakout activities or other formats that allow people to move around the room.
   • Build movement into routines: Encourage simple habits like standing for the first few minutes of focused work, standing while reviewing documents or walking over to speak with a colleague instead of messaging.
4. Use reminders, education and supports
   • Use reminders with simple actions: Use calendar reminders, computer prompts or visual cues to remind employees to break up long periods of sitting. Pair each reminder with a practical action, such as standing for a call, stretching briefly or walking to refill water.
   • Provide information: Share plain-language information on why sitting less matters and how employees can build short movement breaks into their day.
   • Support personal goals: Help employees who want to set goals, such as standing more often, taking regular movement breaks or reducing total sitting time.
   • Offer optional challenges: Low-pressure team challenges can help build awareness and momentum without putting anyone on the spot.
5. Make the space supportive of movement
   • Use sit-stand desks where possible: These have the strongest evidence for reducing sitting time at work.
   • Design spaces that encourage movement: Use standing-height tables for quick meetings and place shared equipment or commonly used resources a short walk away.

Spread the word

• Normalize movement breaks: Use newsletters, team meetings, emails and shared workspaces to remind employees that standing, stretching and short movement breaks are supported during the workday.
• Add movement-friendly meeting messages: Add a note to longer meeting invites, such as “This meeting is 60+ minutes — feel free to stand, stretch or move.”
• Include it in onboarding: Let new employees know that taking short movement breaks, changing posture and standing during meetings are supported workplace practices.
• Use visual cues: Place posters or signs in kitchens, hallways, meeting rooms or near printers to prompt small actions in the moment.

Amplify your impact

Pair this with Create a Workplace Commitment to Movement so changes are supported through visible leadership and workplace practices.

Track progress

Use the questions and indicators below to see how things are working and where to adjust.

*Tip: Use the Healthier Together Workplaces Action & Evaluation Planning Facilitator’s Guide to plan, monitor and refine your approach.