A new pilot workplace health programme - Workplace Activator - has been unveiled in London in a bid to encourage employees to become more physically active.

Time Out magazine and television company Talkback Thames are among the companies to take part in the initiative, with the results to be evaluated by the University of Westminster.

Central YMCA has developed the new scheme with the backing of the Department of Work and Pensions and the NHS after it was found that sickness absence costs firms nearly £500 per employee each year.

The initiative will see a small number of company employees trained to become Workplace Activators, who will then be responsible for helping less active colleagues to become fitter.

A total of 17 companies have signed up as part of the pilot programme, which will also allow employees to access a Central YMCA-developed wellbeing package including free gym membership.

Robin Gargrave, director of innovation and development at Central YMCA, said: "Regular physical activity improves health and reduces stress and has been demonstrated to improve productivity at work and contribute to a more motivated workforce.

"By training workplace activators, and embedding support, Central YMCA is providing a relatively low cost and sustainable model to smaller businesses that cannot afford the lavish corporate wellness programmes offered by many large companies."