Management and workplace fads come and go with every passing year but some truths remain eternal. No matter how comfy it may be to spend most of your day sitting, most people instinctively sense that too much time spent hunched over a desk simply can’t be that that good for you.
Societal health problems such as obesity and chronic lower-back pain are increasingly endemic, and workplaces are feeling the strain of those trends in the form of plummeting productivity and employee absenteeism.
Could something as simple as having occasional meetings on the move make a dent in any of this sorry state of affairs? We think it could, and the rest of this article will step through three good reasons for making your next meeting a mobile one.
- Walking Boosts Creativity
Writers, poets and artists have recognised the creative benefits of even the briefest of strolls for centuries and businesses are only now getting up to speed.
The nature of modern work is such that creativity is an increasingly valuable commodity. As we automate away more and more of the mundane tasks that used to define the daily grind, more and more focus in terms of value is being put on those flashes of insight and lateral thinking that define creativity.
Rather than have a group of people randomly staring at grey walls, or suffering under strobing fluorescent lights, in your next meeting, take advantage of the mental stimulation a constantly, subtly changing environment brings and take it on the hoof.
Ideally this would be outdoors in pleasant weather of course, but beggars can’t be choosers. A brisk walk through your corridors can be just as effective in massaging the little grey cells of all involved.
- Movement Breaks Down Barriers
If you’re having a small, relatively informal meeting, having it on the move makes sense in terms of both general office dynamics and the interplay of direct participants.
Stick two or three people in a static situation behind a locked door and all participants can quickly get prickly. Space is tight, air can be bad and it’s far too easy for people to feel defensive or trapped. A little bit of motion introduces a natural ease and flexibility into proceedings.
Similarly, for those not taking part in the meeting, locked doors and muffled conversations can be a source of tension and unease. What’s really going on in that meeting? Who’s planning what?
The mere sight of people walking around together in a good-natured fashion, while calmly discussing relevant work topics, can be a surprisingly huge morale-booster in many organisations.
- Sitting Is The New Smoking
You’ve probably seen the slightly alarmist headlines by now about sitting too much being potentially hazardous for people of all ages.
The scientific jury is still somewhat out on what sort of numbers pose real health risks but there’s no denying that lack of mobility during the day is a generally bad idea. Experts also tend to agree that the real danger lies in long periods of uninterrupted sitting.
Something as simple as having the occasional meeting on the move makes a potentially big difference in how much continuous time people are spending wedged into their chairs. One or two mobile meetings a week could make a huge difference to the overall physical health of your
Having mobile meetings isn’t a panacea for all ills – and we’re not suggesting you adopt it for every meeting by any means! – but it is one of those classic small, easy to introduce workplace changes where a little effort goes a long way. Give it a try and let us know how you get on!
