The majority of Russian entrepreneurs (79 per cent) believe that sports have a positive effect on employee performance, as follows from the results of a survey of business owners conducted by the NAFI Analytical Centre.
According to most entrepreneurs, up to 40 per cent of company employees regularly play sports, and 42 per cent of business owners and bosses of companies claimed that they support their employees’ engagement in sports.
Among the support measures Russian bosses named full or partial payment for a trainer or a subscription to a fitness club as part of a social package. Sometimes employers arrange for employees sports competitions, invite them to join corporate sports teams, or buy them tickets for mass sports events.
According to Russian entrepreneurs, with full or partial payment for sports activities by an employer, employees are more likely to start doing common fitness (48 per cent), team sports (38 per cent), or swimming in a pool (34 per cent). Less probably they would go in for athletics, yoga, and table tennis.
In addition, entrepreneurs believe that supporting employees’ engagement in sports means developing their teamwork skills (82 per cent), increasing their productivity (73 per cent), and the attractiveness of a company as an employer (73 per cent).
To motivate businesses to develop corporate sports and increase employee engagement in sports activities, entrepreneurs would primarily like to have a possibility to receive government subsidies, financial support for sports events (27 per cent), and tax cuts (21 per cent). There is also a request from the business side for the creation of sports grounds by the state and the development of relevant online services and applications.
Ru-Main, 23.06.2021
