Employee benefits consultancy Portus Consulting has introduced FitBit fitness devices for all staff in a bid to improve employee engagement and corporate wellness.
Recent US research by the Society of Human Resources Managers rates fitness bands as one of the top 10 most unusual employee benefits offered to staff and worldwide sales of the trackers are expected to hit more than 34 million this year.
They have yet to become standard employee benefits in the UK but are proving very successful at Portus Consulting following their launch in June.
All 40 staff have been issued with free bands - worth around £70 - and offered the option to upgrade to more sophisticated models which track sleep patterns and heart rates as well as to purchase devices for partners or other family members.
Portus Consulting also confirmed that it does not monitor staff performance.
Dave Middleton, chief executive officer at Portus Consulting said: "A few of us in the business had been using one and we thought it would be good to offer them to staff to help promote health and wellness.
"It is amazing the amount of interest it creates within the office and how it has changed behaviour. People have been going out for walks at lunchtime and when they are out in the city they will often walk between appointments to ensure they reach their step targets. Even people working at home say having the FitBit means they will get up and go for a walk rather than sit at their desk all day."
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