The concept of working from home has continued to grow, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, growing evidence now highlights that sedentary work, work that requires a prolonged amount of sitting, is considered an occupational health hazard. Recent Work Safe New Zealand’s statistics highlight that 50% of New Zealand workers have jobs that involve sitting at least some of the time, not accounting for the recent popularity of working from home. The importance of transforming a traditional “passive office” into an “active office™” has never been more important.
What Is Active Office™ Training?
Active office™ training is an interactive presentation delivered by a workplace physiotherapist that outlines the most up to date research on office ergonomics, provides practical tips around addresses sedentary behaviour in the workplace and live training on proper ergonomic setups.
Importance Of Physical Activity In The Workplace For Employees
Up to date with the latest literature
The world health organisation recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week for optimum health, yet we spend more than a third of our lifetime in our workplace! Being up to date around the latest research and developments around the nature and safety considerations for sedentary work, and how we can promote physical activity in the office is key!
Practical tips to get moving!
There is nothing worse than death by powerpoint and leaving a presentation with no “realistic” take-away points. Employ Health provides a unique and interactive program which empowers workers to be active at work, and when sitting, be in a supported ergonomic position. Workers move, perform stretches, experience positions that may contribute to pain and stress, and learn how to change them.
Individualized ergonomic setup in active office™ training
Our 1 on 1 practical sets each person in the office with an individualised office ergonomic setup in line with the latest evidence.
Benefits Of An Active Workforce For Your Business
Benefits Of An Active Workforce
Movement and general mobility for the body are known influences around creating positive physical and mental health. Being active at the office reinforces these great benefits when outside of work.
Tackling the health effects of sedentary work
As more research is conducted and published, the effects of sedentary work will continue to reveal more and more health risks. Starting at the office level is a great way to counter these negative effects.
Individualised office ergonomic set up
A workplace physiotherapist specialises not only in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, but also has a breadth of knowledge specific to workplace health and safety. Our 1 on 1 practical not only provides each person in the office with an individualised office ergonomic setup in line with the latest evidence, but also extended support and expertise around general musculoskeletal health!
What Does Active Office™ Training Involve
A typical active office™ session includes:
- Workplace physiotherapist delivering an interactive presentation
- Latest research and evidence around office ergonomics and sedentary work
- Practical demonstration and implementation of office ergonomics
- Dynamic warm up and stretch routine
- Practical tips and tools to create an “active office™”
- Provision of office ergonomic summary and trigger balls for each individual
Why Employ Health?
Practical tips to get moving!
There is nothing worse than death by PowerPoint and leaving a presentation with no “realistic” take-away points. Employ Health delivers active office™ training that is unique and interactive, empowering the individual to create those atomic behavioural changes through realistic practical tips!
Workplace as a hub of health
At Employ Health, we believe the workplace is a hub for health and wellness. Our delivery of active office™ training aims to not only provide practical guidelines for promoting physical activity at the workplace, but also empowers the individual to embrace strategies for general health and wellness!
Expertise across multiple industries
Employ Health provides skilled knowledge through our workplace physiotherapists and our team is experienced in delivering active office™ training across a range of industries small and large.
Frequently Asked Questions
Safe Work New Zealand defines sedentary behaviour as anything performed that involves sitting or reclining. Sedentary work then is work that involves these postures, such as office roles, computer based roles etc.
Many health risks are being increasingly attributed to sedentary work including:
- Metabolic risk
- Cardiovascular risks
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Poor musculoskeletal health
Promoting a culture of being an “active office” is a great long term solution. This means ingraining practical tips into habits such as getting up to print something or having walking meetings.