CREJ - Property Management Quarterly - January 2018
If you tracked how many steps you took from the moment you started work until you clocked out for the night, how many steps would you get? If you’re being honest, the answer is probably “not much.” Especially if your job requires you to sit behind a computer all day, without any incentive to move. Humans were born to move, but how can you do that with a job that requires you to stay stagnant all day long? A poll of 3,000 workers found that almost 60 percent of respondents felt overweight, according to an article on Time.com. More than four in 10 respondents said they had gained weight at their current jobs, up from less than 40 percent last year, and more than 20 percent said they’ve gained 10 pounds or more. It’s not surprising that many of the reasons for gaining weight are due to sitting at a desk all day or feeling too exhausted after work to exercise. Furthermore, added stress from hitting deadlines or dealing with family issues can lead to tighter waistbands and a higher number on the scale. Ever worse, it can lead to less retention of employees, unhealthy employees, higher health care expenses and more used sick days. This is something you, as a building manager, can help change. More importantly, it’s something for which you can start taking responsibility by creating more movement opportunities in the workplace. Movement throughout the workday provides many benefits to your tenants and employees, including being more present, productive and energetic. By providing and supporting movement in the workplace, you encourage them to make healthier decisions throughout the day. And with happy and healthy employees, you’ll be more apt to provide more opportunities for movement. If you’re a property manager who wants to get your tenants and your management staff to be more productive, positive and enthusiastic, here are a few ideas to get started: • Support a culture of movement by making the stairs a more pleasant experience than taking the elevator. • Create “movement spaces,” which can include a rentable walking or stand-up desk, small exercise equipment located in unused corners of your office space, or hosting quick group stretching breaks in hallways or unused conference rooms. • Provide outdoor walking trails that are easily accessible. • Hire a third party to create friendly movement competitions, organize a building 5K run/walk, or a family friendly field day. • Offer on-site group fitness classes, personal training or a staffed fitness center. • Provide educational experiences such as lunch-and-learns with topics including “how to meal prep” or “walk and talk with an expert.” • Offer walking/running gait analysis and fitness assessments. • Encourage members to change one-on-one meetings with co-workers into a walking meeting outside. In a recent study done by Allsteel, when employees were asked if moving throughout the workday helped, the results pointed to a resounding yes. We all know that our workforce is changing. The millennial generation is revolutionizing the workplace, from creating cozy lounging areas and free snacks to kombucha on tap. While having this kind of casual environment might not be feasible in your workplace, consider bringing fun into the office. For example, you can place a foosball or ping-pong table in a community area or provide social areas to help your tenants’ employees take a break from the grind so they can return to their desks refreshed and reenergized. If you don’t have any extra room inside, consider setting up corn hole, ladder ball or ping-pong outside, if the weather permits. You can even provide an online application to keep track of a fun tournaments between tenants or to keep score for all to see. Now more than ever, employees need to find a space to move. Giving them the opportunity to do that within the workplace is conducive to help everyone be healthier and happier.