Abstract
This research paper is aimed at proposing or recommending different strategies using which staff members of an office could stay fit and healthy at work. It is suggested that all staff members should walk briskly and take staircases instead of elevators or lifts. However, one’s safety is important in this regard, therefore, while taking staircases one should avoid running. Similarly, instead of ordering lunch to the office, staff members may go outside in groups and visit nearby food courts to know each other. Instead of giving phone calls, staff members should visit each other workstations. It is also recommended to stretch one’s body a little bit after working for a longer period. The paper also stresses upon the fact that doing some physical activity at work is important for every member of the office staff to stay healthy and fit, improve productivity and mood as well as combat everyday stress. The suggestions provided in this report also help to increase metabolism, reduce calories and help control body weight to an optimal level.
Ways for Office Staff to Stay Fit and Healthy while at Work
Introduction
These days, almost every organisation is challenged to remain competitive under the pressures from globalisation. In this regard, businesses are not only required to efficiently and effectively manage their financial resources but their non-financial properties as well. Here, the management of human resources or capital is not only important but critical as well. If managers, employees and other staff members display lower productivity at work through increased absenteeism and turnover (for any reason), it costs an organisation a lot.
Considering this problem, this research paper is written to perform critical analysis of importance of remaining healthy and fit at work. To serve the purpose, different strategies and findings are recommended for all staff members to remain fit, sound, healthy, happy and active at work. This not only will improve their mood and productivity at work but will also help them effectively manage daily stressful moments as well.
Findings from the Literature Review
In this section, only those strategies are recommended that are not only simple but practical as well. These strategies have a special feature that the office staff does not need to make specific arrangements to remain fit and healthy at work in light of these recommendations. They are suggested that after going through a hectic schedule, the office staff may feel too tired, frustrated and out of energy levels to workout extra for fitness.
Finding and Recommendation Number One – Be an Active Commuter
A research was conducted to demonstrate if cycling and brisk walking could improve overall health and physical activity. The Cycle City Towns (CCT) research gathered results from twelve different towns in which every respondent’s physical activity was recorded throughout the week. It was found that seventy percent of those who walked briskly or were cyclists tend to be more active and physically fit compared to other non-cyclists . This research argues that if staff members cycled to their workplaces instead of taking a bus, they will be more healthy and fit at work. The survey results are reflected by the following graphical representation:
Source: The Cycle City Towns (CCT) Survey, Bedford Borough Council, 2016, Wider Determinants
All those managers, supervisors and employees who live nearby to the workplace are recommended to walk briskly to work or ride a bike (wear helmet for extra safety) to work. This is a form of an aerobic exercise which is found to improve overall health by improving the breathing and increasing one’s heart rate. Following this recommendation, it is also found that brisk walking and bike riding tends to reduce unnecessary weight by burning extra calories. Managers, supervisors and employees are suggested to park their motorbikes and vehicle a little bit far away from the office building so that they could walk the remaining distance to their working area.
Finding and Recommendation Number Two – Make the Most of your Lunchtime
Hayley Dixon (2013) has pointed out one study conducted by bread brand Kingsmil as well as scientists from University of Sussex about whether doing lunch outside has any impact on the mood of the office staff. The researchers asked respondents to fill out a questionnaire and assigned a happiness index score to every response. It was found in that study that the staff members who did lunch outside the office were happier posting a happiness index of 17.04. in contrast, those employees who did their lunch on their desks posted a lower happiness score of 15.62, a fall of 1.42. doing lunch outside actually increases asociations between work and happiness.
If the break time allows, it is recommended to all staff members to take safe and brisk walks to nearby restaurants and food courts for eating their lunch. Those who follow this way can find that after doing their lunch, they return to work cheerful and energised compared to those who order lunch delivery at the workplace. Staff members can do so in groups which will motivate all of them to conduct at the lunchtime, inspire each other to walk and come to know about one another. Here, it is recommended to staff members to only take a brisk walk for lunch but also use the staircase instead of a lift r elevator. It is the best way to perform aerobic exercise which is found not only to burn one's calories and improve metabolic rate but it will also energise the person, relives stress and helps staff members to stay in shape.
Finding and Recommendation Number Three – Doing a Stretching Exercise
Victorian Health Promotion Foundation conducted a survey in March, 2012 to find the effects of prolonged sitting on the health and productivity of employees. It was found that sitting for more hours consistently results in bad posture and muscular pain among individuals . All those staff members who stick to their office chairs all the time and work consistently on a laptop, witness that their neck has bent to an unusual position due to which they have bad sitting posture. In addition to this, their eyes get easily strained because of consistently looking at the computer or laptop for extended period of time. In extreme cases, such members of the office staff tend to suffer from cervical spondylitis concerning their neck and Carpel Tunnel Syndrome due to unbearable affliction of their wrists. In one study, Stuart Dredge (2015) found that for those people who sit for longer hours, there is 112% risk that they would suffer from diabetes. There is a 147% chance that these people would become prone to heart problems. Of the total 3.2 million deaths, inactivity is considered the major cause.
Walking is a good stretching exercise. Every one hour, staff members are suggested to move away from their workstation for a while for a full body stretch. Instead of sending an email or giving a phone call, all staff members should visit each other personally and have face-to-face interactions, whenever needed. If the person with whom face-to-face meeting is required is working on another floor of the office building, the staff members are recommended to take stairs. All staff members can team up with one another for stimulating their motivation levels and keep this a healthy and fun activity.
Conclusion
After carefully analysing the habits recommended for the office staff to follow for remaining fit, active and healthy at work, it is concluded that all the members should walk around the office (not aimlessly, at least), attend phone calls while standing and avoid using lifts/elevators to walk to increase activeness. It is also recommended to walk or do cycling instead of taking bus to work for increasing the blood flow and physical alertness. After sitting for many hours in the office may make a person lazy and negatively influence one’s posture, therefore, it is suggested that all staff members should join health and fitness club to remain highly active and productive at work.
References
BBC, 2008. Wider determinants - Active travel. [Online] Available at: http://www.bedford.gov.uk/health_and_social_care/bedford_borough_jsna/wider_determinants/active_travel.aspx [Accessed 26 April 2016].
Bearne, S., 2015. How to stay healthy and active in the office. [Online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/careers/2015/aug/24/how-to-stay-healthy-and-active-in-the-office [Accessed 25 April 2016].
Dixon, H., 2013. Workers more positive if they eat outside the office, study finds. [Online] Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9992980/Workers-more-positive-if-they-eat-outside-the-office-study-finds.html [Accessed 26 April 2016].
Dredge, S., 2015. Is 'sitting the new cancer'? What Apple CEO Tim Cook really meant. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/11/tim-cook-apple-sitting-the-new-cancer [Accessed 26 April 2016].
SACOSS, 2012. Reducing prolonged sitting in the workplace. [Online] Available at: https://www.sacoss.org.au/sites/default/files/public/documents/Reducing_Sitting_Workplace_Summary.pdf [Accessed 26 April 2016].
