Office Furniture Supplier Urges Workers to Get Up and Move More
Bournemouth, Dorset (PRWEB UK) 16 April 2015 -- A UK office furniture supplier, National Office Furniture Supplies, based in Bournemouth, Dorset is urging office workers to get off their backsides and move around more during their working day for the sake of their health.
Recent research by the group Get Britain Standing and the British Heart Foundation has found that sitting for long periods at work is linked to a host of health problems, which are not undone by working out in the gym. They are calling on workers to stand regularly, walk around more and embrace ideas such as standing meetings or adjustable standing desks.
Their survey of 2,000 office workers found that 45% of women and 37% of men spend less than thirty minutes a day up on their feet at work with more than half regularly eating their lunch at their desk. Nearly two-thirds were worried sitting at work was having a negative impact on their health.
Experts describe inactivity as "one of the biggest" challenges in health and well-being. Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers and poor mental health have all been linked to sedentary behaviour with prolonged sitting thought to slow the metabolism and affect the way the body controls sugar levels, blood pressure and the breakdown of fat.
Lee Bolson, Managing Director of National Office Furniture Supplies, which is part of the Hallways Group based in Bournemouth that sells office furniture to businesses across the UK, is keen for workers and business owners to understand the effects caused by inactivity at work.
“This issue is very personal to me. I suffered a heart attack at the age of 45 and underwent a quadruple bypass operation even though I was fit, active and an ex-footballer so I’m all for supporting a healthy lifestyle, particularly at work”
A national campaign led by the Get Britain Standing group aims to get people out of their chairs and walking or standing more during their working day. Simple activities such as standing during phone calls, using the stairs rather than lifts, holding standing or walking meetings, eating lunch away from desks and walking to colleagues’ desks instead of phoning or emailing them are all small steps that would make a big difference to health and well-being.
But it’s not just changes that workers can make.
There are some simple workplace design tweaks that employers can implement to help improve the health of their employees. Responsible employers take their duty of care to their employees very seriously and National Office Furniture Supplies are seeing an increase in the number of businesses looking to modify their ways of working, for example, by having adjustable height desks which allow workers to alternate between standing and sitting. They are also witnessing a rise in the sale of ergonomic and orthopaedic chairs, which offer more support and improve posture.
Other changes that could be made to working environments are mixing high-top tables throughout the office to encourage conversations and standing, encourage walking more by placing printers, copiers and meeting rooms away from workstations so that employees have to walk some distance to get to them and allow periodic breaks to get employees out of their chairs more often.
Employers are advised to consider designing their work space to encourage collaboration and conversation. Perhaps by providing a staff room away from workstations to encourage staff to no longer eat lunch at their desks. Making this area inviting and appealing will encourage more healthy interaction between staff. National Office Furniture Supplies are aware of some Dorset-based businesses that go so far as to include a fitness area for employees to use before or after work or subsidise fitness classes and gym memberships.
Lee is keen to stress that it's not about completely redesigning your office space. A few small changes here and there will be enough to make most offices healthier. If a lot of changes or new furniture are needed, consider making them in stages to fit with your budget. The key is to balance the life and health of your employees – one of your most important business assets – with your business goals and profitability.
Demonstrating concern for the physical and mental health of your workers shouldn't just be seen as a legal duty - there's a clear business case too. It can be a key factor in building trust and reinforcing your commitment to your workforce, and can help improve staff retention, boost productivity and help create greater employee engagement.
Businesses can get more information on the national On Your Feet Britain day by visiting https://getbritainstanding.org/onyourfeet-britain/
Hayley Baverstock, Bespoke4Business, +44 7557859701, [email protected]
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