STAFF at Legal & General have taken a step in the right direction with their new fitness drive.
Stairs at the company's Kingswood office have been converted into workout spaces with the "StepJockey" system.
The firm has installed signs next to each of the staircases in its Kingswood and London offices showing how many calories staff will burn by climbing the stairs.
It is a move which bosses claim is a first among major financial services companies in the country and they hope it will encourage staff to walk rather than use the lift.
Legal & General group chief executive Nigel Wilson said: "This is a disarmingly simple but powerful initiative that encourages exercise as well as reducing carbon emissions.
"We strive to be one of Britain's healthiest companies and with the launch of this initiative two of our buildings have now become two of the healthiest."
Along with signs laying out how many calories staff burn by climbing individual staircases, the firm has also implemented the StepJockey smart-sign system which means staff can track their progress using iPhones and Androids.
Elaine MacLean, group human resources director for Legal & General, said: "We take the health of our staff very seriously and labelling the physical environment to incentivise exercise is an obvious and sustainable way forward.
"Traditionally, people see taking the stairs as a bit of a chore, but by highlighting the benefits, people are gently nudged into a more active routine which can bring profound health benefits over time."
Stair climbing is officially classed as a "vigorous" exercise and burns seven times more calories than taking a lift. The StepJockey scheme has been taken on by organisations including the NHS, KPMG and BBC.
Organisers claim that since its launch, stair use has increased by up to 29 per cent in companies which take part.
When individuals were able to track and compare their progress, stair usage reportedly increased up to eight-fold.
