Researchers conducted a study to see if there is a link between working in a traditional office environment and an increased risk of heart failure. Following 82,000 men, ages 45 to 69, over 10 years led to the conclusion that men who don’t exercise regularly and whose jobs require them to sit for five or more hours per day are twice as likely to develop heart failure than their more active counterparts.

What is heart failure?

Heart failure occurs when your heart muscle is no longer able to efficiently and effectively pump blood through your body. Unlike an acute attack, which causes the heart to stop beating, heart failure is a drawn-out process whose victims experience continually diminished quality of life over an extended period of time.

What does my job have to do with it?

Most Americans are stuck behind a desk for upwards of 9 hours each day. This sedentary behavior puts you at risk of developing serious medical conditions like high blood pressure, decreased circulation, and obesity; all factors directly linked to heart failure.

Avoid becoming a statistic

To avoid becoming a statistic, researchers recommend standing at least 10 minutes every hour. The easiest way to accomplish this without interrupting your workday is with a standing desk by Xdesk. With the click of a button, you can transform your traditional seated desk into a standing model. Conversely, when you’ve fulfilled your standing goal, you can easily convert back to a seated arrangement with the click of a button.

In addition to incorporating the practice of standing while working into your daily routine, be sure to build active time into your schedule as well. Simple actions like taking time to stretch at your desk or going for a stroll around your corporate campus can make a tremendous difference in your overall health and wellbeing. Take getting moving a step further by scheduling walk and talk meetings instead of flopping down in chairs in your favorite meeting room.

While our culture is one that revolves around seated tasks, it’s your responsibility to challenge those norms. Standing at least 10 minutes every hour and consciously adding more activity to your workday can significantly reduce your risk of heart failure. If you’re struggling finding additional ways to increase your activity level at work, Rutgers University has some great tips to keep you active and reduce your risk of heart failure.

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According to the Wellness Council of America, employers benefit by reducing sick leave by an average of 26.78 percent and reducing health care costs by 26 percent. For every dollar spent on health and wellness programs, the company gains roughly $5.81 dollars back.

Employees also benefit beyond experiencing fewer health problems. Fifty-nine percent of employees reported having more energy and getting more work done; while 51 percent said they work harder once a wellness program is in place. A wellness program is also an incentive to keep employees at the company longer, since most workers today expect employee wellness plans to be offered at their company.

To increase participation, companies are offering incentives and rewards to employees who get on the health bandwagon. And a cash reward isn’t always the best way to encourage participation. Gift cards, access to healthy foods, and other non-cash incentives get the most feedback from employees.

How to Start Your Wellness Program

Workout at Work
It’s important to encourage physical activity during the day. If you follow this blog or own a standing desk, you’re well aware of how sitting all day is bad for your health. Working out at the gym isn’t doing your body any favors if you’re in a chair for nine hours. So turn your sedentary office into an active workspace that increases flexibility. Consider stand up meetings, walking during lunch, and encourage workers to take the stairs. If you’re on a budget and not every employee can use a standing desk, even bringing in one or two provides another option to increase movement.

Educate Employees
Provide a nurse hotline where employees can call in and discuss their health concerns. It’s a more private outlet that workers can use to get one-on-one education from a health professional. Another option is to bring in doctors or speakers to give info sessions on everything from eating habits to general health and wellness practices. Offer an incentive to employees who choose to attend (maybe a free nutritious lunch during the seminar?).

Provide Stress Management
We’ve posted quite a bit on stress management lately, since it’s typically the number one cause of employee absenteeism and poor health. Stress has been linked to heart disease, lack of sleep and high blood pressure. Beyond poor health, it lowers worker satisfaction and decreases productivity. In your employee wellness plan, provide a stress management program for workers. Bringing in outside councilors or psychologists can give guidance and tools on stress management to improve worker health.

Offer Healthy Choices
Sometimes working through lunch is inevitable, so employers can take this as an opportunity to provide healthy food choices at the office. Offer nuts, trail mix and fresh fruit instead of a traditional vending machine. And replace sodas with water and juice. If your company has a cafeteria, switch up the menu to focus on items that encourage better nutrition, like lots of vegetable sides or a salad bar.

Employee wellness plans don’t have to be expensive or completely change your office, but showing employees that you care about their health is important. And it’s even more important that executives participate, to lead by example.

The post Employee Wellness Plans Benefit Managers and Workers appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

The Open Office
An open office plan has become more favorable than closed-in cubicles or separate offices. You’ve enjoyed the camaraderie and team-building, but it can have negative effects in the long run. Open offices encourage high noise levels and privacy is eliminated, which can result in stress and reduced work satisfaction. The Journal of Applied Psychology published a study that showed this office safety hazard in action. Forty clerical workers were exposed to low-intensity noise, while another group experienced silence. Both groups were given unsolvable math problems. The group exposed to noise gave up after a few tries, while the group working in silence continued to try and solve it. If you’re bothered by office noise, you can wear ear buds or headphones.

The Office Coffee Pot
Sad to say, but the communal coffee pot harbors bacteria and viruses, and is the most likely place to find norovirus. Norovirus is highly contagious, and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. To combat the issue, it’s important to observe proper hand-washing and hygiene. If you or your coworker has been sick, don’t prepare the coffee that morning until all symptoms are gone. And of course, clean the coffee pot every night before leaving the office.

The Air Flow (Or Lack Thereof)
You could be allergic to work! Not the practice, but the actual building. Closed offices can keep in allergens and other substances that can cause symptoms like sneezing, wheezing and trouble breathing. If you notice the symptoms lessen after work, during a weekend or while on vacation, the office air could be the culprit. Paints, adhesives, and even your desk could be causing an allergic reaction. Thankfully Xdesk are made from all natural materials like bamboo and aluminum, so common additives like particleboard and formaldehyde aren’t used. These office safety hazards can be treated if you make an appointment with an allergist.

The Rising Temperatures
Ever notice how hard it is to concentrate if it’s too hot? A warm environment can decrease productivity in the form of drowsiness, restlessness and a drop in decision-making ability. If your office isn’t up for blasting cold air, bring in a few fans and wear light clothing to increase the air flow around you. This is even more important if you own a treadmill desk, since constant walking elevates your body temperature.

The Desk Chair
There have been countless studies showing the negative physical and mental effects of sitting all day. Remaining in one place has detrimental effects on productivity, and leads to major health problems like obesity and cardiovascular disease. This can easily be avoided with a standing desk, or by making a point to keep moving throughout the day.

Have you experienced any of these office safety hazards? How have you avoided them?

The post Hidden Office Safety Hazards appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

Lower-Back Pain
Low back pain is an office health risk that’s extremely common among both men and women. Sitting for hours isn’t doing your posture any favors, and results in slouching that can put strain on the lower back. But constantly pushing your shoulders back into a straight, awkward position can also have negative effects. To prevent this, be aware of your posture while you sit, and don’t forget to stand and stretch every so often to give your back a break.

Other Muscle & Joint Pain
We’ve mentioned this before, but 85 percent of Americans suffer from muscle or joint pain at some point during their lives. Pain doesn’t discriminate, men and women are equally effected, and in more than one place on the body. The most common areas include the knees, neck and joints. These office health risks can be avoided, if you remember to switch from sitting to standing periodically throughout the day. The key is small movements at designated intervals. Once you’re home for the night, take a walk around the block and perform a few stretches before bed. It will help both physical and mental stresses.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
If you’re constantly at a computer, chances are you’re typing the majority of the day. If you’re not, then gripping a pen and scribbling notes can eventually cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Any motion that’s repeated isn’t ideal for the wrists. Before you have to result to prescriptions or surgery, stop and stretch your wrists during the day. If you have a keyboard platform, you can adjust it so the wrists are in the most ergonomic position to prevent any kind of strain.

Eyestrain
Beyond damaging your wrists, eyestrain is another common office health risk experienced among desk workers. After staring at your computer for several hours, you may notice your vision start to blur and your eyes become more sensitive. Headache, neck strain and dry eyes are another symptom of eyestrain. Prevention starts with making sure the computer screen is an adequate distance from your eyes. You can use one (or both) of our monitor arms to help you achieve the best placement. We’ve covered eyestrain prevention extensively in a previous post, so learn more HERE.

Stress
Stress—it’s probably the most common office health risk experienced today. It’s the biggest cause of employee illness and absences, which means productivity loss. Less serious stressful situations can be controlled by breathing and relaxation tools. Another option is to walk away. Leave your desk and take a break, then face the problem head on. In case you missed it last week, check out our post on “How to Cope with Office Stress” to learn more about how to deal with difficult work situations.

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