This paper investigates the impact of playing sports on the overall performance of employees in the field of retail. In the dynamic retail sector, business success largely depends on the performance of employees. That's why finding a way to improve work performance is really important. The goal of this research was to understand how physical activity, i.e. playing sports, positively affects the overall work performance of employees. In the theoretical part of the paper, various aspects of the mentioned relationship are analyzed, especially the impact of sports on physical and mental health, energy, teamwork, motivation and problem solving. Employees who play sports have a higher level of energy, greater concentration and are more motivated. Moreover, sports activities encourage team spirit and influence social skills, lead to better cooperation among employees, and it’s proven that playing sports reduces stress levels. Empirical research conducted in this paper explored the relationship between playing sports and the work performance of retail employees. The results of the research indicated that participating in sports during the respondents' life, and especially more often and competitively playing sports, is associated with a higher self-assessment of work performance. Based on the conducted theoretical and empirical research, recommendations were given for human resource departments in retail on how to use sports activities as a means of increasing the work performance of employees.