A recent geographic comparisons survey of workplace design elements has found that individuals on the West Coast are spending an hour more sitting than their Northeastern counterparts.
The survey, which was conducted jointly by ESI Ergonomic Solutions and Russell Research, analyzed employee preferences for office equipment, including laptops, desktops, tablets and smart phones; and asked employees about factors affecting their productivity. The survey also studied the length of time that employees sat at their desks and the length of time that they used their computers, in addition to overall satisfaction with workspace based on comfort, convenience and provided office equipment
Out of an 8-hour workday, workers on the West Coast reported an average of 5.4 hours sitting at their desks. Workers in the Northeast reported 4.4 hours, a difference of 12.5 percent.
The survey of almost 500 respondents also found deviations between Northeast and West Coast office culture in terms of other preferences. When asked what elements of workplace design would increase productivity, 60 percent of those surveyed on the West Coast responded favorably to the idea of having more than one monitor arm, as compared to just 47 percent of Northeast respondents. The survey also found that 56 percent of West Coast respondents, compared to 44 percent of their Northeast counterparts, agreed that being physically close to coworkers would increase office productivity.
“The best thing an employer can do is understand the workspace design needs and preferences of their employees, ” said ESI President and CEO Carol Keogh. “If you are truly interested in making a difference for your employees, ask them about their physical work environment and proactively find ways to make improvements.”
In the summer of 2015, ESI launched its ongoing Workspaceology campaign, which aims to educate people on practical, affordable ways to enhance productivity and well-being at work.