Jaana Rinne, head of human resources at Finnish company Konecranes, says that the firm regularly tests fitness levels among its 1,800 employees.

"We want to help our employees to be healthier in the workplace and also to help extend their careers. We believe in using preventative methods and that the results will be a reduction in sick leave and the number of people giving up work on health grounds."

Tens of thousands of Finnish workers have their fitness tested annually. Some of those with the lowest fitness levels have even been provided with monitors to measure the amount of their daily activity.

"You could say that this is "Big Brother watching", but almost everyone has been grateful for the extra support, as they often find it difficult to make the necessary changes on their own," says Jyrki Eklund, Head of Occupational Health firm AinoActive.

"Companies started thinking about this issue around five years ago. Once they'd done the maths they realised that investing in the health of their workers would not only reduce company expenditure but also increase competitiveness."