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BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Companies have long invested in corporate gyms as part of hopes to boost productivity through healthier employees.
The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center didn't miss that trend. Since 2001, the research and office park has maintained a paid gym on its campus to give both the general public and employees of the many small companies there a recreational outlet during the lunch or after-work hours.
But the CRC's fitness options have been a bit more expansive than the usual weight and exercise room subtly slotted between floors and rooms of cubicles and offices.
In the 1990s, the CRC opened outdoor beach-style volleyball courts to try to meet the diverse recreational interests of its tenants and has since steadily added similar amenities.
Within the past year, the park opened a soccer field on its northwest end off Innovation and Research Center drives that has been used by teams in a regional adult soccer league. Not too far away, the park recently finished painting the lines on a field that looks to have been established primarily for lacrosse.
And the outdoor entities aren't finished.
The CRC is currently finishing a fourth volleyball court near the lacrosse field and plans to put a second basketball court within the next month on either Pratt or Kraft drive.
CRC President Joe Meredith said one of the intentions of alternative recreational venues like the soccer field or basketball court is to simply help the companies entice potential employees by offering fun activities they can enjoy at lunch or after work.
Meredith said the outdoor venues also allow employees from different companies to meet and forge relationships that could benefit their businesses later.
"It also causes networking to take place ... which is something you can leverage to your benefit," Meredith said. "It's hard to compete against another team without at least wanting to know what the person on the other team does for a living."
Brian Badillo, a programmer at CRC-based software development firm Harmonia, has played for local soccer teams for about three years now and was in a game at the park's field earlier this month.
Badillo said the fields and courts give the employees there more diverse options for getting in shape. Getting fit doesn't have to be limited to pumping iron or walking the treadmill at the gym, he said.
"I like soccer, and I wanted to get back into it because it's one of those things to do for exercise," he said.
Badillo added: "The gym is kind of a chore, and going off to play outside is a little less of a chore. Having things like that caters to people of different needs, different interests. Somebody might be interested in soccer like me, others might be interested in volleyball and some people might be interested in weightlifting."
Badillo said he also thinks putting fitness venues — whether it be a weight room or an athletic field — next door to the office is more convenient for some people's schedules and "breaks motivational barriers." He said it's much easier for some to start working out when the amenities are not far.
For himself, Badillo said trying to stay fit is important because his job often demands that "I stay in my seat all day."
Others like Amy Richardson, who works at pharmaceutical research company Revivicor, stick to the more conventional fitness routines, but say the same thing as basketball or soccer players when it comes to accessing neighboring workout facilities.
Richardson often frequents the CRC's exercise room, which is located just across the street from her work.
"It's good to be active," she said after finishing a lunch hour session. "I live in Giles County, so I don't get home until 6 o'clock in the evening. So it's good that I can come at lunchtime and just get it over with and not have to worry about it in the evenings."
Richardson said the lunch time workouts re-energize her for the remainder of the work day.
An article published by the Houston Chronicle on the benefits of corporate gyms stated that exercise improves sleep, and therefore can improve employee morale by giving them more energy throughout the day and releasing "mood-elevating endorphins."
The same article said companies that started fitness programs saw increased productivity through reductions in use of sick leave and fewer employees who missed work.
The article said an office gym is also an attractive perk for recruiting and retaining workers and a convenience for employees who either have busy schedules or don't want to drive far to work out.
Meredith said the CRC will continue to increase its fitness options as "we grow the density of the employees."
Earlier this month, the park began offering yoga classes just near its administrative offices.
While not a sports venue, the park's pavilion was also expected to have 15 picnic tables, a bump from the two to three tables there previously.
That move also involves the addition of a grill, but Meredith didn't give an exact timeline for when the outdoor cooking appliance will be available.
And Meredith said, "we actually have a group of people advocating for a bocce ball court."
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Information from: The Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoke.com
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