Category: Lean Office

Smartphone’s have become more than just a luxury for many people and businesses today. They give you easy access to essential communication tools like email, text and, of course, voice. In addition, you can access most types of documents on them through the Internet, and do many other activities that can help make working much easier.

All this convenience, however, comes with some problems as well. Research performed by the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, has found that people who use their smartphone during meetings are very likely sabotaging their own success. Whether the phone is used for texting, checking email, surfing the Internet or taking calls, most people agree that it shouldn’t be done. Despite this fact, however, many people continue to do it.

Details of the Study

When evaluating just how important it is to put the smartphone away during meetings, look at the following information about the study:

Based on this information, it is clear that the use of smartphone’s is widely frowned upon, and it can have some very negative implications for those who use it.

Why Put the Phone Away

When people pull out their phones in meetings, regardless of their intention, it will come across as if you have a lack of respect for those giving the meeting. It can also cause people to think that you don’t have a sufficient attention span to be able to stay engaged with the meeting at hand. Of course, none of these things are opinions you want others to have of you.

Even if the meeting is being put on by a peer, or a subordinate, it is never a good idea to pull out the phone, unless it is absolutely essential. Even if the person giving the meeting isn’t someone who you report to, other people in the meeting will also have a negative opinion of what you’re doing. This could include your boss, or someone who might pass on their opinion.

What to Do When you Must Use the Phone

While it is always best to put off taking phone calls or texts until after a meeting has concluded, there are times in today’s business world where it is essential to respond quickly. If you get an important call, text or email during a meeting, make sure you follow some basic etiquette in how you respond.

Rather than simply pulling out the phone and responding, step out of the room so the others aren’t distracted. If it is possible at the moment, apologize to the individual who is hosting the meeting and let them know that you have to respond to the call, text or email. Once out of the room, handle the message quickly, and return. After the meeting has concluded, go to the individual running the meeting and apologize again, offering a brief explanation of why you had to take it. You don’t have to go into full details, but make sure they are aware that you valued their meeting and didn’t intend to disrupt it.

What if employees could lose weight, improve health and become more productive at the same time? A treadmill desk offers these benefits and more. Many people have read about them before–they have been in the media a lot lately. Let’s take a closer look and see why office desk treadmills improve productivity.

Office desk treadmills are hot. Google now offers them to help keep employees healthy. Other well-known firms like AOL, Twitter and Facebook are joining the trend. You cannot open a business or health magazine without reading about the benefits. Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic was the first person to combine treadmills with working at a desk. He got together with Steelcase, the office furniture maker, and the first models were available in 2007. Many at that time had a maximum speed of 2 miles per hour.

What are the Health Benefits for Office Desk Treadmills?

There are solid health benefits to office desk treadmills. In America, over 85 percent of workers sit all day at their job. Experts say all that sitting is dangerous:

A one-year study in Obesity, a monthly journal, reported that it only took employees 5 minutes to adjust to using a treadmill desk in the office. No participant had significant objections to using them. Further, subjects demonstrated more daily physical output and less time in sedentary activity. Workers considered “obese” lost more weight than slimmer co-workers and improved their overall daily physical movement.

Part of the appeal of treadmill desks is that anyone able to walk can benefit. The American Heart Association found that walking over 10,000 steps every day can bring down initial heart attack rates by over 90 percent and reduce the rate of stroke by 70 percent. Similarly, the National Institute of Health found that walking could bring down cancer rates from 30-70 percent. The American Diabetic Association reported that 10,000 steps each day can reduce the rate of Type II diabetes by 50 percent.

The problem with sitting is not just that is not vigorous exercise. When sitting, metabolism drops to almost zero. Before she got a treadmill desk, Author Susan Orlean told NPR Radio that sitting all day put her body into a kind of stupor–she suffered from a mid afternoon slump from sitting. It went away when she invested in a treadmill desk.

Does Productivity Increase with Office Desk Treadmills?

The trend seems clear. Healthier workers are more productive. Experts believe that treadmill desks make workers more healthy, alert and refreshed. The end result is more focus and increased productivity. However, what does the hard research say about productivity? In the Obesity journal study mentioned earlier, after one year overall performance exceeded the pre-study level. An article in HealthLeaders discussed studies by both the University of Maryland and the Mayo Clinic. They showed that radiologists were more accurate and precise when reading scans while utilizing an office desk treadmill.

Salo, a financial staffing company, took part in a study that lasted half a year. Several employees took turns working at different treadmill desks for an average of three hours a day. At the end, they had record revenues during the time they were evaluating the desks. In addition, employees had lower cholesterol and reduced body weight. Office desk treadmills are more than a fad. They are rapidly being adopted by cutting-edge and traditional companies alike.

Study after study shows people who adopt treadmill desks lose weight and increase their overall health. Health employees directly affect the bottom line. Success magazine reported that small businesses save up to 5 dollars for every dollar they invest in wellness. The savings come from reduced medical outlays, absenteeism and accidents on the job. Integrated Benefits Institute, a research company focused on health and productivity, reported that US companies suffer productivity losses totaling more than half a trillion dollars every year. One of the key reasons for low productivity is poor employee health. Employers are beginning to realize they need to take an overall approach to employee engagement and productivity.

Ready For A Treadmill Desk?

When evaluating office desk treadmills, consider that it takes a certain amount of time to adjust to the new movement. While the basic walking motion is easy, it takes longer to get used to moving a mouse and typing while walking in place. Over time, however, productivity increases. The Obesity journal study showed overall productivity went down at first as subjects acclimated, only to rise above pre-study levels at the end. Give an office treadmill desk a reasonable trial, and experience improved health and higher productivity.