Abstract
Objective: This opportunistic natural study investigated the effects of relocation of office workers from a 30-year-old building to a new purpose-built building. The new building included an attractive central staircase that was easily accessed and negotiated, as well as breakout spaces and a centralised facilities area. The researchers aimed to determine the impact of the purpose-built office building on the office workers’ sedentariness and level of physical activity.
Method: In 2013, a natural pre-post study was undertaken with office-based workers in their old conventional 1970s building and on relocating to a new purpose-built ‘activity permissive’ building. Objective movement data was measured using accelerometers. Anthropometric and demographic data was also collected.
Results: Forty-two office-based workers significantly decreased their percentage of daily sitting time (T1 = 84.9% to T2=79.7%; p<0.001) and increased their percentage of daily standing time (T1=11.2% to T2 17.0%; p<0.001) in the new building. Moderate activity significantly declined (T1=3.9% to 3.2%=T2; p=0.038). There was a significant decrease in mean minutes of sitting time (19.62 minutes; p<0.001) and increase in standing time (22.03 minutes; p<0.001).
Conclusions: The design of a building can influence activity. This opportunistic study on the impact of workplace relocation on office-based workers’ activity showed modest positive outcomes in sitting and standing. Evidence is required to inform building design policy and practice that supports physical activity and reduces levels of sedentariness in the workplace.
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From the full-text paper:
- “In the new building, the percentage of work time spent in sedentary behaviour (sitting) significantly decreased (p<0.001) and the percentage of time spent in light activity (standing) significantly increased” (p81)
- Although there was no increase in the number of times stairs were used each day, there was an increase in the mean steps taken per day, which authors suggest may be due to the increased floor space available and greater distance from desks to the printers, kitchen and toilets.
- Of interest is that while percentage of daily sitting time decreased (and standing time increased), it was found that the average length and maximum lengths of sedentary bouts actually increased. Several reasons were speculated on why this may be, but one reason may be due to a more effective reorganising of work teams which removes the need for them to walk to colleagues.
- Further, the authors stated that, “It may be that comfortable, convenient spaces contribute to sedentary behaviour and perhaps provide evidence for an argument in support of the ‘inconvenient’ office42 – an office that makes one want to move more” (pg. 4).
- They discuss that “this move by office-based workers to a building specifically designed with a central staircase did show statistically significant improvements in sitting and standing”, however in meaningful terms, ”these changes were less than optimal” (p81).
There was no education component as part of the office move in this study and the use of such materials (explaining the benefits of standing and using the stairs etc.) may improve physical activity outcomes.
Authors: Jonine M. Jancey, Sarah McGann, Robyn Creagh, Krysten D. Blackford, Peter Howat, Marian Tye, 2015, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Study link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1753-6405.12464
Link to the LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/workplace-building-design-office-based-workers-study-ben-hutchinson
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