REDUCING the sedentary work day
We’ve all heard it: “sitting is the new smoking!” Such bombastic statements can lead to skepticism and assumptions of sensationalist claims backed by little research. But the numbers are in. And while your desk won’t give you cancer, there are genuine health problems linked with leading a sedentary lifestyle.
We’ve all heard it: “sitting is the new smoking!” Such bombastic statements can lead to skepticism and assumptions of sensationalist claims backed by little research. But the numbers are in. And while your desk won’t give you cancer, there are genuine health problems linked with leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Consider your day. You sleep (hopefully for eight hours), you get ready, you commute, you sit at your desk, get up for the printer a few times or to go sit (yet again) in a meeting, you commute once more and only a few hours later, it’s time to go to bed. Even if you get in gym time or a run, you might be spending as many as 18 hours being still; more if you enjoy the occasional Netflix binge.
Even if you hit the gym, a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk for certain diseases or conditions that could result in premature fatality. Cancer, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes are all made more likely by a lifestyle that incorporates very little or only small bursts of activity. But other areas of your health can also be impacted by sitting so much. Studies are now showing that too much inactivity can increase anxiety and depression, in addition to obesity.
Humans have an intrinsic need to be upright and mobile. Interestingly, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to sign up for more spin classes or start training for a marathon just to combat the ill effects of sitting too much. Even making the time to go for walks more consistently during the week can have enormous health benefits physically and “above the shoulders,” in terms of reduced anxiety and depression.
Despite its position as a leading contributor for a sedentary lifestyle, the workplace is actually where you can try and make the most improvement (at least, until we go back to the cars from the Flintstones). In fact, health experts are now recommending standing more during your work day as the answer to reducing the harmful effects of all that sitting. Also, taking brief strolls through the day can have even more health benefits than simply standing.
There are many ways to incorporate these changes into your work life; having walking meetings and taking your phone calls while standing are just a few examples. But more than ever, there are now workplace solutions to help break the sedentary cycle. Height-adjustable desks and treadmill desks are changing the office game. Workplaces are ordering community treadmill desks that people can temporarily use while checking email or taking calls.
With these new products in the workplace, marked improvements are being seen not only in maintaining physical health but even with increased work performance. It turns out that the “get the blood flowing” adage rings true: as simple an exercise as walking can increase creativity and productivity and also reduce stress. Many companies are seeing huge benefits from corporate wellness programs that encourage more movement in the office. We’re all motivated to perform better for companies that have our interests at heart, even on as personal a level as caring for our health.
Consider the benefits that slight adjustments in your daily routine can produce and encourage your employer to do their part in making the workplace better suited for activity. Make use of office tools and culture that can get you moving more. Stand up, stretch your legs and talk to someone next time you need information. See if you can get your boss on board with turning your next meeting into a stroll. Walk a lap around the office next time you move your desk to standing height. Savor the resulting changes to your well-being and endeavor to make even more positive decisions.
what comes after gen y?
Knoll has released their latest research on the generation that will be entering the workforce by the close of this decade: Generation Z. Like every generation, Generation Z has unique values, such as structure and predictability, and strengths, like their effortless comfort with the online world and technology. They will also face specific challenges because they are more distractible and will not be as adept at interpersonal work relationships and interactions. These factors will gradually reshape the workplace as it is redefined to maximize their effectiveness and productivity.
Knoll has released their latest research on the generation that will be entering the workforce by the close of this decade: Generation Z. Like every generation, Generation Z has unique values, such as structure and predictability, and strengths, like their effortless comfort with the online world and technology. They will also face specific challenges because they are more distractible and will not be as adept at interpersonal work relationships and interactions. These factors will gradually reshape the workplace as it is redefined to maximize their effectiveness and productivity.
Knoll has identified three opportunities to facilitate Generation Z’s perceived workspace needs. They recommend a sense of structure through clear layout and obviously purposed spaces, “enclave spaces” for one-on-one meetings and “refuge” spaces that minimize distractions and promote focused work. Understanding each of the characteristics that lead to these needs is vital in anticipating the workplace changes that will accompany the introduction of Generation Z.
The first characteristic of Generation Z is their appreciation for social connection, structure, order and predictability. Generation X, the parents of Generation Z, had unpredictable family lives as divorce rates climbed. As a result, Generation X has lower divorce rates and have responded to the varying stability of their childhoods with high rates of home schooling their children and having one “stay at home” parent, promoting a secure family base.
The values of connection with family, order, structure, work ethic and predictability encompass and define Generation Z. They will be inclined to prefer workspaces where it is easy to orient themselves and that are straightforward to understand and use. Legible, well-organized work environments will be more effective than complex planning layouts and vast arrays of workspace options.
Generation Z’s second set of characteristics are their strong multi-tasking skills with reliance on social media. Since birth, Generation Z has been tapped into the Information Age, facing a barrage of data from digital sources. Their familiarity with multi-tasking online will translate into other areas of their lives, though this can be weakness as much as strength. More and more research indicates that multi-tasking negatively impacts learning and cognitive development and could potentially lead to poor work performance and poor relationships with co-workers.
This same set of characteristics shows that for Generation Z, social media is the center of the social world, instead of a tool to enhance existing relationships, which is how Generation Y uses social media. Depleted face-to-face socialization could hamper social interaction and conflict resolution in the workplace. Cyber bullying is on the rise and the detachment that leads to this behavior and the ability to simply delete online contacts when there is a conflict make for weak social tools to deal with in-person working relationships.
Creating a refuge where Generation Z staff can escape from relentless distraction is vital; telecommuting is not a suitable solution since the home environment is equally full of diversions. An office “refuge” space can help Generation Z employees escape endless notifications and exploding email inboxes, resulting in increased focus and productivity. The space should provide a refuge on many levels; a small, enclosed area to take away visual distraction, sound-masking to reduce outside noise, easy access to power and seating to promote convenience and whiteboards to assist with shaping ideas and concepts. Rooms equipped with Wi-Fi that temporarily blocks social and non-work related websites may be an additional aid in enhancing focus within the space. Additionally, these refuges spaces could be used for private, one-on-one interaction. Managers could assist employees with work relationship difficulties in a comforting, secure area free from scrutiny.
The last defining characteristic of Generation Z is their extensive online gaming experience, offering leadership opportunities in virtual work collaborations. As already evidenced in the workplace, online applications for collaborative work are increasingly the way of the future. Simulated work settings with avatars to represent employees in online interaction will be perfectly comfortable to Generation Z staff and reflective of their gaming experiences. In this arena, Generation Z has outstanding potential to become workplace leaders in managing online business interactions.
Collaboration spaces where physical teams of people can interact via online applications will be crucial in the evolving workplace. Enclaved areas that support blended virtual and face-to-face interaction will be important to designate. Small and secluded accommodating small groups of staff can be either open or enclosed, as long as the space is defined and functional. Comfortable seating, low surfaces, access to power and data and visual displays to assist with communicating ideas should be the hallmarks of these enclave areas.
Proximity, privacy and technology are the three critical elements for success with refuge and enclave spaces. These spaces need to be conveniently located near the employees’ usual work area for easy access and to be used often. Anticipating the needs of the next generation of workers will make the changing workplace into an evolution rather than a disruption and abrupt change.