As health and safety consultants working in high risk areas such as construction, work at height and electrical installations, we tend to focus our work and protection systems on to workers who seem to be more at risk due to the nature of their work. But should we be encouraging office based staff of our clients to move about more?
Should we focus some of our attention onto the "Health" part of our title? Probably is the answer, but how?
We are interested in feedback as to how small enterprises can achieve this. Its seems obvious that small and medium sized companies can not afford to completely revamp their office furniture into hamster wheels, walking desks and cycle desks. They don't generally have the space for such things let alone the investment it would require.
So how do we encourage desk based staff to move around more?
A recent study (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36411403) has found that sitting at your desk all day can be as bad for you as smoking in some cases.
I've worked in busy offices in many parts of the world, and sat in meetings in every single one of them. On very few occasions was I asked to have that meeting while walking around the building or around the block. Why is this? Is it that we cannot take notes while walking? Are we that afraid of being out of touch with our email or telephone for 15 minutes?
Please get in touch if you have any ideas on how to encourage desk based workers to move around more. jonestrees@gmail.com