From the Ko'olau Mountains to Honolulu Harbor, the sweeping view from the penthouse offices of Communications Pacific can take your breath away. But at the moment, that's not why 13 staffers are huffing and puffing on the lanai.

They're halfway through the best part of their workday — a company-sponsored workout with a personal trainer. The Tuesday and Thursday sessions, done on company time for the past six months, have improved morale and creativity among employees who would normally have trouble squeezing fitness into their day.

"If you have kids and you don't have time to train, this is your shot," said Mike Sapp, their 51-year-old personal trainer. He's been training people for 30 years and has biceps like coconuts.

Communications Pacific, which provides public relations and internal communications services, is one of a handful of Honolulu companies that sponsor on-site workouts designed by Sapp and his partner, Michelle Dragovan.

The duo lugs around a plastic tub of equipment: Squishy, weighted balls to lift, thick elastic bands to stretch, Bosu balls to balance on and traditional items such as jump rope and dumbbells. But they don't need much space for their portable gym.

"We've done it in a hallway of a law firm," Sapp said.

At CommPac, as it's known in Honolulu, the lanai around the penthouse is barely 8 feet wide. Sapp creates stations — 12 on this particular afternoon — where participants do as many repetitions as they can during a 30-second burst of energy. Then they have 15 seconds to change stations. A loud beep from a timer moves them along until they get to the last station.

Then they have to run around the rest of the lanai.

They move around the circuit for as many 15-minute periods as they can handle. It's a typical routine, but Sapp frequently changes it from day to day. The key is to exercise consistently.

"We try to make it so it's not competitive or about ego," Sapp said. "You will improve if you come out."

Creating an employee workout program was the brainchild of Catherine "Kitty" Lagareta, the company's 53-year-old chairwoman and CEO.

Lagareta had a fitness epiphany three years ago. She had not worked out regularly in 20 years, mostly because of work, and had gained 45 pounds. For her 50th birthday, she got a personal trainer, worked her way up to six days a week of training and lost three dress sizes.

"Everybody at work noticed I was more energetic and I had lost weight," she said. "I said to them, 'Why aren't you working out?' They said they had no time and it didn't fit in their day."

A mother of two adult children, Lagareta could relate to that and decided to provide trainers on the company dime. She also created incentives for participation that include up to two days of paid vacation after a year.

"Now I find I have more energized, healthy employees," she said.

It's also a job perk that raises eyebrows.

"Every person I have told about this workout is intrigued," said Stephanie Ortega, a 22-year-old account coordinator. "In fact, they're jealous. It's really cool."

Cindy McMillan, a 43-year-old senior vice president at CommPac and a cancer survivor, plans her meeting schedule around the workouts.

She says the workouts are not intimidating.

"These are ordinary pieces of equipment that normal people can use without training," she said. "It's not like you have to learn yoga postures or Pilates. We jump rope. We do crunches on a ball."

Most people go home after the workout — good thing, too, because CommPac doesn't have a locker room.

But some return to their desk, invigorated.

"I think it's a nice stress relief," said Puanani Crabbe, a 41-year-old executive assistant and single mother.

"I think it is a definite incentive to work harder beforehand," she said. "On those days I am going to work out, I am very focused."

Without the workouts, Crabbe would not have time outside of the office for any kind of routine.

"I have three sons, and I don't have time to go to the gym and do anything for myself," she said. "This way, I can get something for me."

Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.