A view of the Nursing Innovation building, which houses a healthy living office. Inside, employees and students a like are encouraged to try new methods of working efficiently and healthfully. (Photo by Dominic Valente)Office problems: too much sitting, too much artificial light, and the ever-foreboding feeling of the afternoon drag.
However, students, faculty and staff from the College of Health Solutions and College of Nursing and Health Innovation, hoping they have found a solution to these problems, have moved into an inventive new building on the Downtown campus, which is designed to promote healthy office solutions and collaborative working. Melanie Burm, chief of operations in the College of Health Solutions, said there were several themes driving the design of The Nursing and Health Innovation II building, which included incorporating natural light, plants and bright colors to create a "hospitable" space for everyone who works and visits the building.
"We spend a lot of time at work so we really want to emphasize the importance of working in a healthy environment," she said. "Natural light helps people to stay more alert and be more productive and upbeat and just contributes to a good work atmosphere overall."
The new space also includes walking work stations, which provide office workers the opportunity to walk on a treadmill while typing at their keyboard.
Burm said research suggests that if a person walks a minimum of 20 minutes per day without making any other changes to their lifestyle, they will "inevitably feel better," and the potential to lose weight exists.
“Walking while you work is a great way to promote better health," she said. "The treadmills max out at two miles per hour so it is not strenuous and yet it is keeping the body moving. And movement is good for all of us.”
Every office and workstation has the option to have a sit-to-stand desk, which allows workers to adjust the height of their desks if they feel like they want to stand and work.
Burm said research shows that if someone stands instead of sitting while they work, it increases the efficiency of body systems like circulation and people tend to "just feel better." She said more than 80 percent of offices and workstations have sit-to-stand desks.
Project manager Cecilia Romero said she is still adjusting to going from a more traditional office environment to the open environment but she has noticed a more "welcoming" feel and has seen one major and unexpected change in her own work day.
"The first three days that I was in last week, I did not actually sit down in the chair. I didn't sit down until Thursday," she said. "What I have found is that I'm actually standing more than ever, and I am feeling great."
Romero said she has also noticed an increase in productivity and focus because she is able to stand or sit and get her circulation going while she works as opposed to having to get up and take a walk like she did in the old office space.
Director of strategic marketing and communications Melissa Harris Thirsk said the space has what is affectionately termed the "marcom bullpen," a brightly colored, "lively and fun" area that inspires creativity and allows for group collaboration. Thirsk said she has worked in traditional office settings as well as more innovative and open office settings like the one at Nursing and Health Innovation, and she prefers the latter because it fosters great teamwork and communication between her workers.
"You really value that collaboration and ability to solve problems together," she said. "That's what marketing and communications is all about. So I like the open environment more for our purposes."
Burm said despite only having been in the space for two weeks, she has already noticed a change in workers' attitudes, their production and their willingness to engage in group collaboration because of the open design, natural lighting and atmosphere of the new space.
"I have already seen a tremendous impact in our new space," she said. "All of the sudden we have seen the emergence of in-person, on-the-fly interactions and time is being saved, it's more efficient than sending an email and waiting for a response."
The new office space is quickly becoming the envy of other office workers around the University, as Burm said there have been staff from other disciplines who have been "wowed" by the space. "People love the sit-to-stand desks and they are asking, 'How can we get those in our office,'" she said. "So I do think that will become more frequently used around the University."
Reach the reporter at npmendo@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @NPMendoza
