Employees who walk for 5 minutes every hour work better: Study

For employees who spend most of their day behind a desk, the ideal productivity hack may be simpler than expected.

A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has found that employees who take a five-minute walking break every hour experience better productivity, improved mood and greater alertness than those who remain seated for long periods.

The findings come as prolonged sitting continues to be linked with higher risks of obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Study identifies the most effective break schedule

The research, led by Keith Diaz of Columbia University, examined how different walking schedules affected workplace wellbeing and performance.

According to the study:

• More than 11,000 employees in the United States took part.
• Most participants worked in office-based roles with eight to nine-hour workdays.
• Participants followed their normal routine during the first week.
• Over the next two weeks, they took walking breaks every 30 minutes, one hour or two hours, while completing daily surveys on mood, fatigue and work performance.

Researchers found that a five-minute walk every hour delivered the best balance between improving wellbeing and maintaining productivity.

Better mood without disrupting work

The study found different walking intervals produced different results. Researchers reported:

• Walking every 30 minutes reduced fatigue and improved mood but interrupted work more often.
• Walking every two hours was better than remaining seated throughout the day.
• A five-minute walk every hour produced the greatest overall improvement in productivity, mood and alertness while remaining practical for employees.

According to Diaz, many people receive general advice to "sit less and move more," but the study sought to identify a realistic routine employees could consistently follow.

He told BBC News that a five-minute walk every hour was both effective and achievable for most workers.

Short movement breaks support workplace performance

Diaz said many employees spend around three-quarters of their waking day sitting, making regular movement increasingly important. He added that movement breaks can improve:

• Executive function
• Attention
• Memory
• Relaxation
• Mental freshness

The study also found some employees were hesitant to leave their desks because they worried about how colleagues or managers would view frequent breaks.

Diaz suggested employees can incorporate movement into their workday through walking meetings or by pacing during phone calls, allowing them to stay active without reducing productivity.

Experts call for more long-term research

Emily McGrath, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, welcomed the findings and said simple movement throughout the day can improve overall health.

However, she also noted that the research relied on self-reported data over a relatively short period. She said longer-term studies will be needed to determine the full impact of regular walking breaks on heart health.

As organisations continue to prioritise employee wellbeing alongside performance, the findings suggest that encouraging short, regular movement breaks could support healthier and more productive workplaces without affecting day-to-day operations.

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