Companies that encourage their staff to participate in team sports are more likely to enjoy success and see high levels of staff satisfaction, a survey has revealed.

The research, by Standard Chartered Bank, shows that staff who participate in team-based sports are five times more likely to work for a company that has experienced at least a 50 per cent growth in the last year. This highlights a clear link between group exercise and corporate success.

The survey provided some reasons as to why this correlation is apparent, with employees citing increased levels of personal satisfaction, improved communication and a stronger rapport with colleagues, when taking part in team-based sport.

However, despite this link, the report found that less than 20 per cent of UK businesses actually encourage their staff to take part in sport.

A decrease in stress levels was also highlighted, with over 85 per cent of those surveyed saying that taking part in group sports has reduced stress.

Standard Chartered’s European CEO Brendon Hopkins said: “It has been proved that sporting activities and well being programmes reduce staff turnover and this is something that has certainly been evident with Standard Chartered as we have a very low level of staff turnover, and have a very high percentage of employees who have been with us for over 10 years.”

Former world champion 110m hurdler Colin Jackson added: “I know from my own experiences of training for the Olympics and world championships that teamwork is an intrinsic element in success, not just in a sporting arena but also in one’s business and personal life. The research commissioned by Standard Chartered Bank clearly shows that businesses can reap huge rewards by encouraging their staff to take part in group sport.”