As more research comes out about the negative health impacts of sitting all day, many offices are leaning toward more ergonomic desk solutions. Standing desks and posture-correcting stools are a great start to improving office health, safety, and comfort, however, one of the most important things you can do for your health is to simply move more around more frequently.
There are several ways to build more movement into your workspace.
1. Office Yoga
It’s important to create a workspace that feels comfortable. This can make it easier for your employees’ to participate in wellness activities such as office yoga. One way to create this type of work environment is through a design trend called Resimercial – a hybrid of residential living-room inspired space and office space that feels cozy and relaxed while promoting productivity. This encourages employees to be more mobile around the office, interact with one another, or even just to get up and stretch. Encouraging your employees to take even just 15 minutes to move around, do some yoga, and engage your muscles during the day can dramatically reduce the impacts of excessive sitting.
2. Take An Extra Lap
There are a lot of reasons to create workspaces where people can intersect and interact. One of the many benefits of designing communal spaces that have multiple functions is that they encourage more movement around the workplace. When common spaces serve as a place you can break away from your desk and plug in your laptop for a change of scenery, as well as a place you can grab a cup of coffee and chat with a colleague, it creates an environment more conducive to a variety of workstyles. With more movement happening naturally around the office, your employees can feel more encouraged to stand up from their desks and take a lap around when they need a break, getting on their feet and boosting their daily step count.
3. Hold Walking Meetings
Walking meetings are a great way to encourage your team to spend more time moving during the day, without taking time away from work responsibilities. Not only is this good for our health, but our minds are sharper when our bodies are active, and we tend to be more focused and efficient while on the move. You don’t need to be in a walkable neighborhood or wait for the sun to come out to hold walking meetings. Designing your workspace to include more collaborative spaces throughout can make your team more receptive to holding walking meetings indoors, where you can stroll through the office and break away from standard conference table meetings.
4. Drink More Water
While this point may seem like it doesn’t belong on this list, drinking more water has a significant impact on your energy levels; it lubricates your joints for easier mobility and it improves your overall performance during exercise. Your time and effort spent on fitness will be more effective when you’re hydrated! Not to mention that when you start drinking more water, you’ll inevitably wind up taking more trips to the restroom – which gets you on your feet more often! Encourage your employees to improve their overall health and increase daily physical activity by designing a breakroom space that is inviting and functional. Consider including plenty of outlets, hot spots, and a variety of seating options around the room to create a comfortable, social work environment you can really move around in. You can also look into some fun and healthy alternatives to the standard vending machine to promote office wellness!
5. Create More a Collaborative Workspace
If your employees are feeling stuck in their chairs, it could be because the design of your workspace doesn’t encourage movement and interaction. There are design solutions that work for spaces of every shape and size that encourage employees to get up from their desks more often to mingle and work in common areas and opt for an in-person chat over an email exchange from across the office.
Chat with Apex about design solutions for more collaborative workspaces that promote movement and employee wellness.
For more information, check out our article on Employee Retention.