last word
The last WORD
Wellbeing at Work Investing in people for real results
Today’s workers are plagued by stress, fatigue, ailments, illness and burnout, which impede their productivity, engagement, and basic day-to-day sanity. So what is going wrong, and how can we fix it?
W
Zoë Humphries is Senior Workplace Consultant for Steelcase. She works and lectures all over the world on Steelcase research into future workplace environments. She has over 10 years experience working for Steelcase and specializes in working with corporations to develop strategic work environment design, workplace standards, and strategy.
orkers’ stress levels are at an all time high. Cutbacks on staff and
budgets and the need for efficiency put pressure on workers to be as productive as possible. This means less and less time for employees to wind-down, which affects not only their wellbeing, but also their performance. Physical wellbeing impacts
cognitive and emotional wellbeing. To have the brain fully firing, the body needs to be supported and comfortable. Research carried out by
Steelcase, shows workers all over the world are suffering from work related illnesses such as strained eyes, hands, arms, neck, shoulders, and backs. This is due to sitting in static positions for long periods of time. Equally they are out and about at meetings or at temporary desks hunched over their laptops causing strain on their bodies. Increasing mobility can be as
simple as creating opportunities to get up and move around. Ensuring there are areas within the office for meetings, places to make phone calls, and workstations that encourage people to stand are all simple solutions that unchain people from their desks and address sedentary habits. Mental stress, too, is
By Zoë Humphries, Steelcase
increasingly present in the modern workplace. Beatriz Arantes, a psychologist and Steelcase researcher explains, “cognitive overload is a fundamental problem in today’s workplaces, there is a lot of noise, and the more we have to pay attention to unnecessary details, the more cognitive resources it takes.” The workplace makes a
significant difference in the way we process information, and engage with our work. Rath and Herner’s work has revealed that people who are disengaged with their work are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression, and when an employee’s engagement increases, their cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased
significantly. So how does a workplace make
sure that its workers are engaged? All workers want a certain amount of freedom to work how they please. Ensuring employees have adequate tools and superior connections can turn a small office into an appealing and stimulating place to work. Places such as an office cafe and team working areas can really give workers the freedom and mobility they need. However, workers still need privacy so private workstations and areas like libraries can be oases of calm. Choice is empowerment, and empowerment encourages workers to enjoy what they do. Workplaces that are designed
around people’s needs create a happier workforce, and a happier workforce makes for a healthier and more efficient business.
Architects Choice 47
Steelcase Inc. helps cre- ate great experiences – wherever work hap- pens. The brands offer a comprehensive portfo- lio of workplace furnishings, products and services, inspired by nearly 100 years of insight gained serving the world's leading organizations. It is glob- ally accessible through a network of channels, including over 650 deal- ers. Steelcase design for social, economic, and environmental sustain- ability. Steelcase is a global, publicly traded company leading the industry with fiscal 2011 revenue of approxi- mately $2.4 billion.
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