You have probably heard this headline and thought like most of us “seriously?” but on digging deeper it does seem to have some truth behind it. A scary thought if like me you are working in a sedentary job and enjoy the odd bit of TV too in the evening!

The line was coined by Dr James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic in the US who in an interview with the LA Times said “Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death. The chair is out to kill us.”

The health risks associated with sitting all day include heart disease, various types of cancer, obesity, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and increased blood pressure. This is really worrying as more and more people are working longer hours at their desks, commuting in cars, trains or busses, then collapsing down in front of the TV before going to bed, on a regular basis.

So, what can we do to combat this, and what can employers do to help their employees live longer?

I’ve decided to take action and sign up for an initiative in our workplace to try out a standing desk. I’m excitedly awaiting its arrival and discovering the benefits of spending at least some of my day standing.  It’s a bit hard to imagine how it will all work – do I stand for an hour then sit for an hour? Will moving my laptop and stuff be a deterrent or just become part of my more active lifestyle? Will I need to change my shoes for the standing bit? How soon will I see results?

Standing desks are becoming more and more popular with many organisations having them as a standard option. In Denmark the government has mandated that all office workers must have a height adjustable desk and hopefully this will be rolled out to other countries including Ireland in the future. Unfortunately, they can be expensive so like my workplace, people are getting creative in developing and making their own versions!

Of course, there are other ways to combat sitting all day but they take more effort. Employers should be encouraging employees to get up from their desks, take breaks at lunchtime, walk to and talk to colleagues instead of emailing, stand up when on the phone, but we all know how easy it is to get stuck into work and end up stuck to your seat.

It’s a little ironic that Sitting is the new Smoking, considering it’s the smokers who get up off their seats more than anyone else!

Updates on my Standing Desk experience will follow.

Ingrid O’Sullivan, Operations Manager

Haattchooo… we’ll be starting to hear that sound more and more in the coming weeks as allergy season arrives.  For some people this time of year can be truly miserable – sneezing, wheezing, watery eyes – and it doesn’t bode well for a productive day at work.  Allergies are one of the top reasons for absenteeism particularly, at this time of year.  It’s therefore important for employers to understand the ways to reduce the trigger factors and minimise the effect on sufferers in the workplace.

It’s easy for allergens such as dust mites, pollens and moulds – which are the most common triggers – to get trapped in office buildings.  Carpets, soft furnishings and cluttered desks can be hives of activity!

So what can you do to help those haatchoooers?

1. Dust away those dust mites

Dust mites are commonly found in the home and the eggs can easily be transported into the work environment on clothes, quickly making themselves a new home at work.  Regular carpet cleaning and dusting the work area with a microfiber cloth or wet rag can help to reduce the mites in the area.  Curtains should be washed frequently and if possible coats and jackets should be hung outside of the office space.

2. Breath easy

Ensure there is clean filtered air circulating the work environment to help reduce pollen and allergens.  For hay fever sufferers this is vital, particularly at this time of the year. Make sure that windows are kept closed in the early morning and late afternoon which is when the pollen count peaks.

3. Cleaning products

Many cleaning products including air fresheners release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air which can irritate the lungs causing breathing difficulties.  If possible, use cleaning materials that are VOC free and avoid any use of plug-in and aerosol air fresheners.

4. Allergy testing

It can be a good idea to have employees take an allergy test if many are presenting themselves with symptoms.  The cause can be identified and steps taken to help minimise exposure. For example, if the results show a high reaction to mould it may be that you have an underlying problem that needs addressing that you weren’t aware of.  Often allergy sufferers believe they are allergic to one thing when in fact it is something completely different that is setting them off.

5. Support the Haattchoooers

Allergy sufferers really do suffer! Supporting them by simply ensuring there are plenty of tissues available, providing sympathy, empathy and understanding can go a long way. They are less likely to be absent from work if their needs are being met and addressed and the haattchoooing isn’t seen as an annoyance.

Spring is delightful time of year, even if it is a little late arriving, unfortunately though for some it’s not such a welcome relief from the long winter!

 Ingrid O’Sullivan, Operations Manager, Voltedge Management

It’s all very well for an employer to implement wellbeing initiatives and think great I’ve ticked that box off without really investing themselves in it.  There are many subtle and impactful ways for managers to support employee wellbeing that don’t need to be highly resourceful, time consuming or costly.

From when we were very small children all we wanted was to be told what a great job we were doing, whether that was simply tidying away our toys at the end of the day to doing well at school.  As adults in the workplace it is no different. Praise makes us feel good, empowered and happy.

Here are some relatively simple ways for employers to do that:

Get to know your employees

Set up some 1:1 time with your team members on a regular basis.  Listen to them, ask them how they are getting on, and encourage new ideas and thinking. Engage with them on a personal level as well, ask how their family is, how their local soccer team is doing or how they enjoyed an event. Make them feel like you are genuinely interested in them not just as an employee.

Be a leader and set an example

If you have implemented a ‘let’s get walking’ initiative at lunchtime make sure you get walking too. Employees will feel more motivated and encouraged if they see their manager do it and will feel it’s ok to take a break.  Let them know your wellbeing goals and how you plan to achieve them.

Recognise their work

It takes very little at the end of a day to say thank you and well done for work completed or getting through a stressful busy day.  However, your employee will leave work feeling like it was all worth it and motivated to do it again tomorrow.  Rather than going home feeling worn out and stressed, they will feel satisfied of a good day’s work.

Training and development

Invest in your team and watch them grow.  Putting in place personal development plans will provide a clear path for career progression and further learning.  It doesn’t have to big budget training courses. Cross-functional activities or an opportunity to work on new projects can provide peer to peer learning, which is a great way to develop skills and confidence levels.

Be mental health aware

It’s one of the biggest reasons for absenteeism and is often disguised as something else due to embarrassment or lack of confidence.  Managers who are open about mental health issues, who encourage their team to talk about it and assist in getting help or simply encourage some time off will ultimately reduce the number of incidences through this positive approach.

Have some fun

Introduce some fun initiatives to encourage employees to engage with each other.  Bake offs, last Friday of the month pizza day, Love Monday coffees, raise money for a charity with a sponsored walk, there are lots of things you can do that don’t have to take up too much time or cost.  Ask your employees for ideas, have a vote on the best one and run it for a few months.

Wellbeing in work and in life is about keeping stress at bay, being happy, feeling worthy and respected. It can be done!

 Ingrid O’Sullivan, Operations Manager, Voltedge Management

This month we are talking about Ergonomics – One of those words that we all go “yeah” I know what that is (sort of) and then go off and think of something else!

However it’s a word worth thinking about.  How often at the end of the day do you get up from your desk and think yikes I’ve been on that chair for over 8 hours. You stretch and then realise that you haven’t actually straightened your back in those 8 hours sitting busily at your desk.  This is where Ergonomics comes into play.

Ergonomics is the “Study of capabilities and limitations of mental and physical work in different settings. Ergonomics applies anatomical, physiological, and psychological knowledge (called human factors) to work and work environments in order to reduce or eliminate factors that cause pain or discomfort. Ergonomic designs of tools and equipment have helped curtail the occurrence of musculoskeltal disorders and repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTL). Also called human engineering.”

Translated into the office environment it’s all the factors that impact the health, wellbeing and most importantly the productivity of employees from desks, chairs, workstations to stress management, working hours and working practices.

As employers we have a duty of care to ensure our employees are provided with a comfortable and supportive workplace however it is also up to each employee to be aware of the impact of bad ergonomics and adjust themselves accordingly.  Some elements are easier to fix than others and here’s a list to start with!

The most obvious to look at first are the physical set ups: 

These are all critical elements that can be relatively easily fixed and can have a considerable impact in your wellbeing at work.  As many as 1 in 5 regular computer users are diagnosed with a musculoskeletal problem affecting the upper limbs.

Next look at the environmental aspects:

Interestingly there is term used for buildings with a high proportion (more than 20%) of its occupants reporting illness which are believed to be related to the actual building “Sick Building Syndrome”.  Illnesses such as respiratory, skin, nerve, headaches, nausea, fatigue, eye and nasal problems which often are relieved once leaving the building can cause increases in sickness absenteeism and causes a decrease in productivity of the workers.

The reasons for a Sick Building are often down to bad ventilation, overuse of chemical products, external fumes or moulds and funguses which unless addressed and fixed will be detrimental to any business working in such an environment.  This is the extreme end of the scale and if you think your building is sick, it is vital to have it checked by an expert.

You may not even realise you are working in an Non Ergonomic environment yet wonder why are you feeling stiff, joint pain, headaches and possibly stressed as a result of it.

A well-designed workspace is proven to increase productivity. One that provides comfort, a sense of privacy and space and is aesthetically pleasing promotes happiness, motivation and collaboration.

Research has shown that effective office ergonomics interventions on average reduce the number of musculoskeletal problems by 61%, reduce lost workdays by 88% and reduce staff turnover by 87%. The Cost:Benefit Ratio is on average 1:1.78 with a payback period of 0.4 years.

So remember…

• As an employer check in with your employees regularly and listen to any concerns – happy employees are productive and motivated.
• As an employee alert your manager if you’re not happy with your set up and remember to stand up, stretch and straighten your every 30 mins – it will do wonders for you!

Keep in mind that these are all critical elements that can have a considerable impact in your wellbeing at work. Voltedge advises and supports clients on all HR issues including wellbeing at work. For further information, contact us at info@voltedge.ie.