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Sports Medicine

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Open Access 01-07-2016 | Original Research Article

‘The End of Sitting’: An Empirical Study on Working in an Office of the Future

Authors: Rob Withagen, Simone R. Caljouw

Published in: Sports Medicine | Issue 7/2016

Abstract

Background

Inspired by recent findings that prolonged sitting has detrimental health effects, Rietveld Architecture Art Affordances (RAAAF) and visual artist Barbara Visser designed a working environment without chairs and desks. This environment, which they called The End of Sitting, is a sculpture whose surfaces afford working in several non-sitting postures (e.g. lying, standing, leaning).

Objective

In the present study, it was tested how people use and experience The End of Sitting. Eighteen participants were to work in this environment and in a conventional office with chairs and desks, and the participants’ activities, postures, and locations in each working environment were monitored. In addition, participants’ experiences with working in the offices were measured with a questionnaire.

Results

It was found that 83 % of participants worked in more than one non-sitting posture in The End of Sitting. All these participants also changed location in this working environment. On the other hand, in the conventional office all but one participant sat on a chair at a desk during the entire work session. On average, participants reported that The End of Sitting supported their well-being more than the conventional office. Participants also felt more energetic after working in The End of Sitting. No differences between the working environments were found in reported concentration levels and satisfaction with the created product.

Conclusion

The End of Sitting is a potential alternative working environment that deserves to be examined in more detail.

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Although lying is considered to be sedentary behavior [16], it is paradoxically afforded by The End of Sitting, an office that is designed to promote more healthy behavior.

There was one location in The End of Sitting that was not very well visible from the video recordings. Although at this location the posture of the participant could be observed based on the recordings, the activity could not. Hence, the three participants who worked more than 10 % of the working time at this spot were excluded from the analysis of the activity, but were included in the analyses of the locations and the postures.

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Title: ‘The End of Sitting’: An Empirical Study on Working in an Office of the Future
Authors: Rob Withagen
Simone R. Caljouw
Publication date: 01-07-2016
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Published in: Sports Medicine / Issue 7/2016
Print ISSN: 0112-1642
Electronic ISSN: 1179-2035
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0448-y

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

‘The End of Sitting’: An Empirical Study on Working in an Office of the Future

Abstract

Background

Objective

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Objective

Results

Conclusion

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