What Is an Active Break at Work?
Long periods of sitting, back-to-back meetings, screen time, and repetitive work can make the workday physically and mentally demanding.
Workplace active breaks provide employees with an opportunity to step away from their regular tasks and incorporate short periods of movement into the workday.
Santé Active offers professionally guided active breaks for employees, including simple mobility exercises, stretching, muscle activation, breathing exercises, and gentle movement. Sessions can be delivered on-site or virtually and adapted to your workplace, schedule, and team.
Whether your employees work in an office, from home, or in a hybrid environment, active breaks offer a convenient way to encourage movement during the workday.
What Is an Active Break at Work?
An active break is a short period during the workday when employees temporarily stop working to move, stretch, and change positions.
Unlike a traditional break, an active break intentionally incorporates physical movement. Employees generally do not need workout clothes, special equipment, or access to a fitness facility.
Depending on the session, workplace active breaks may include:
- neck, shoulder, back, arm, and leg stretches;
- joint mobility exercises;
- movements designed for office workers;
- light muscle activation;
- simple posture-focused exercises;
- breathing and relaxation techniques;
- gentle dynamic movements to get the body moving.
Exercises can be performed standing or seated, making sessions accessible and adaptable to different workplaces and fitness levels.
What Are the Benefits of Workplace Active Breaks?
Adding short periods of movement throughout the workday can help employees interrupt prolonged periods of sitting or remaining in the same position.
Break Up Prolonged Sitting
A few minutes of movement provides an opportunity to change positions and get the body moving during the workday.
Encourage Mobility
Guided movements can mobilize areas commonly affected by prolonged desk work, including the neck, shoulders, back, and hips.
Develop Better Movement Habits at Work
Employees can learn simple exercises and movements that they can incorporate independently into their daily routines.
Provide a Break From the Screen
A guided active break gives employees an opportunity to temporarily step away from their screens and focus on movement and breathing.
Support a Workplace Wellness Culture
Active breaks can complement a broader employee health and workplace wellness program by making movement more accessible during the workday.
Active Break vs. Micro-Break: What's the Difference?
Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, active breaks and micro-breaks are not exactly the same.
A micro-break is a very short interruption from work. It might involve standing up, changing position, walking a few steps, looking away from the computer screen, or taking a moment to breathe. A micro-break does not necessarily involve structured physical activity.
An active break specifically incorporates movement. It can be professionally guided and may include a short sequence of stretching, mobility exercises, breathing techniques, or light physical activity.
Santé Active can incorporate both active breaks and micro-breaks into a workplace wellness approach tailored to your organization.
Short Sessions That Fit Into the Workday
Encouraging employees to move does not necessarily require a full workout.
Workplace active breaks can be offered in different formats depending on your organization's needs.
5–10 minutes
Ideal for a short active micro-break between meetings or periods of concentrated work.
15–20 minutes
A guided session incorporating mobility, stretching, breathing, and light muscle activation.
30 minutes
A more complete active break combining different movements with breathing or relaxation exercises.
Customized formats can also be developed according to your workplace schedule, environment, and objectives.
Active Breaks Delivered Directly to Your Workplace
Santé Active makes workplace wellness activities easier to organize by bringing the service directly to your employees.
Our professionals can lead active breaks in:
- offices;
- conference rooms;
- common areas;
- administrative and other workplaces where space permits;
- corporate events;
- employee health and wellness days;
-
virtual workplaces and remote teams.
Sessions can be organized as a one-time workplace wellness activity or as part of an ongoing employee wellness program.
Exercises Adapted to Your Employees
Every workplace is different.
Employees who spend most of their day working at a computer may have different needs from employees who stand for extended periods or perform more physically demanding tasks.
Santé Active can adapt workplace active breaks according to:
- the type of work performed;
- number of participants;
- available space;
- desired session length;
- general fitness level of the group;
-
goals and needs of your organization.
Our objective is to provide an activity that is simple, inclusive, practical, and easy to integrate into the workday.
Virtual Active Breaks for Remote and Hybrid Employees
Employees working from home can also spend extended periods sitting in front of a computer.
Virtual workplace active breaks bring employees together for a short, professionally guided movement session, regardless of their location.
Participants can join from their home workspace and perform simple exercises requiring very little space or equipment.
This format can be particularly useful for organizations with hybrid teams or employees located in different cities across Canada.
Add Active Breaks to Your Workplace Wellness Program
Active breaks can be offered as a standalone service or combined with other Santé Active workplace wellness activities.
Depending on your organization's needs, programs may also include:
- corporate yoga;
- workplace Pilates;
- group fitness classes;
- stretching and mobility;
- Zumba;
- Tai Chi and Qigong;
- meditation and stress management;
- ergonomics;
- health and wellness workshops and conferences.
This flexibility allows organizations to provide employees with different opportunities to move, recharge, and participate in workplace wellness activities.
Workplace Active Breaks Across Canada
Santé Active provides corporate fitness and workplace wellness services across Canada, including Toronto and the GTA, Ottawa, Calgary, Montreal, Laval, Longueuil and the South Shore, Gatineau, and Quebec City.
Depending on professional availability, services may also be available in additional communities.
For organizations with employees in several locations, virtual active breaks can provide a convenient way to bring teams together for the same wellness activity.
Why Choose Santé Active for Workplace Active Breaks?
Since 2011, Santé Active has helped businesses and organizations make fitness and wellness services more accessible by bringing professionals directly to workplaces.
Our approach includes:
- qualified wellness and fitness professionals;
- activities adapted to participants;
- flexible session formats;
- on-site and virtual options;
- one-time or recurring programs;
- convenient organization for employers.
We bring movement to your workplace so your employees don't have to leave the office to participate.
Organize an Active Break for Your Employees
Would you like to introduce more movement into your employees' workday?
Santé Active can help you organize a workplace active break, a series of guided micro-breaks, or a recurring program adapted to your organization.
Sessions can be incorporated into a corporate wellness day, employee health initiative, team-building activity, or an ongoing workplace wellness program.
Contact Santé Active to tell us about your team, location, and the type of active break you would like to organize.
📞 1-888-923-2448
