Last weekend, Apex attended the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Workplace Wellness Panel Discussion & Expo. We learned about the benefits of work wellness programs and heard about innovations of other companies to improve employee wellness. Top level executives spoke about their company’s involvement to improving their employee’s health. What we found was that there wasn’t much discussion about improving the workplace itself to promote wellness. Their focus was tied much more to health programs outside of work.
The Discussion
At the event, there were two sets of panel discussions. The first panel hosted 3 CEOs, titled “It Starts at the Top.” The CEOs featured were Kevin Klock (Talking Rain), Angie Lepley (Tangerine Travel), and Matt Sauri (Wimmer Solutions). They were asked to discuss how they, as leaders of their companies, support initiatives for their company to improve the health of their employees. They also dove into initiatives to create workout programs or mental health programs to improve well-being of their employees.
The second set of panelists were leaders of companies who offered wellness programs as a service. Jerame Thurik (Accolade Inc.), Darren White (Aduro Inc.), Krista Burris (hubbub health), and Gordon Cohen (Pro Sports Club & 20/20 LifeStyles) attended this panel. Topics discussed ranged from determining metrics to track improvement in employees to the future of workplace wellness.
What about the workplace?
The discussion about actual workplace improvements was minimal at best. Employees spend, on average, 8 hours sitting at a desk which has been proven to have negative effects on people. “Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally,” reports the World Health Organization.
With this information, we should consider initiatives to optimize the workspace to fight this global epidemic in addition to implementing the work wellness programs.
How can I make my workplace healthier for my employees?
Rome was not built in a day. Workplaces are not innovated in mere hours. It takes time, planning and a large amount of effort to create the best solution for you and your employees. However, the effort is not fruitless. Improvements in the workplace have shown progress in employee collaboration and the health of the employee.
Sit-to-stand desks are all the rave these days. It gives employees the opportunities to keep their blood flowing by having the option to sit or stand. A great match for sit-to-stand desks are perching solutions. They promote good posture when sitting, promote collaboration and offer a great alternative to sitting without the negative effects of it.
Apex’s Involvement
Apex Facility Resources simplifies the process of optimizing your workspace. We help our clients design workspaces that improve collaboration and the health of the employees. Our goal is to promote movement and increased circulation while working which supports creativity and innovation in the workplace. A healthy employee is the at the core of any successful culture!
Let us help you simplify the process!
Give us a call at 206.686.3357 to find out more about our solutions!
