Research Design Connections:  Workplace Design and Activity

by Sally Augustin, Ph.D. | April 5th, 2021

Zhu and colleagues conducted a literature review and report on how the design of the physical work environment, at three different scales, can boost physical activity (PA) among employees.  For example, “At the workstation scale, sit-stand desks, treadmill desks, and stationary high desks were found to reduce SB [sedentary behavior] and increase standing. Work building scale is relatively understudied, and reported correlates include staircase design, overall building design combining multiple PA-friendly strategies, and specific PA amenities (e.g., exercise facilities). On the work neighborhood scale, important correlates include work commute distance and corresponding route characteristics, parking availability and cost, and surrounding neighborhood environments.” Xuemei Zhu, Aya Yoshikawa, Lingyi Qiu, Zhipeng Lu, Chanam Lee, and Marcia Ory.  2020.  “Healthy Workplaces, Active Employees:  A Systematic Literature Review on Impacts of Workplace Environemnts on Employees’ Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior.”  Building and Environment, vol. 168, 206455, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106455 Sally Augustin, PhD, is the editor of …