PE01 - The Work Walk: a tool kit to meeting on the move

Research shows that many technical interventions to counteract inactivity on the work floor only see exercise as breaks to that inactivity. But exercise can also be a natural part of your working day, by having meetings on the move, for example. The Work-Walk concept normalises and actively supports meeting on the move by providing a tool kit.

The Work Walk tool kit offers everything, from a step-by-step plan that helps you set out hiking trails to strategies for communication and embedding. We continuously investigate ways to better integrate exercise into the working day, and which behavioural changes and (technical) resources would contribute to that.

PE02 - Effective incentives to sit less during a workday

Some research shows that, to avoid us sitting through meetings, certain nudges (incentives) are very effective. The most successful strategies use a combination of nudges that encourage participants to stand up and move around in a subtle and friendly way.

These nudges turned out to be very effective:

→ Stickers of foot prints on the floor: These trigger meeting participants to stand up and continue the meeting while standing in a playful manner

→ Warning poster: “Attention, risk of sitting’: A clear and striking poster in the meeting room that warns of the risks of sitting too long

→ Park chairs and stools in a corner: This creates a natural barrier against sitting down

PE03 - Leaf the Desk: an outdoor workplace

Take some time to look out the window! On the waterfront, you can see our outdoor workstation, Leaf the Desk, strategically positioned in the middle of greenery. This is not just any workstation; it is designed to experience the tranquillity and inspiration of nature while being productive.

Leaf the Desk makes it comfortable and simple to work outdoors. Working surrounded by nature offers numerous advantages, and although you can always sit on the grass or on a park bench, there was no outdoor workstation that was both comfortable and shaded; until now. Leaf the Desk is designed with a minimal impact on the environment, offering a maximum amount of comfort.

PE04 – Outdoor signposts: meeting stations for Work Walks

These outdoor signpost are in fact innovative meeting stations, and they support people in having meetings on the move. A common problem with meeting on the move is taking notes and giving presentations. These signposts offer a practical workstation during your Work Walk.

We are currently investigating how to improve these signposts. We want to know how their shape and location might influence a meeting. Additionally, we develop interactive trails, digital maps that not only indicate the location of the meeting stations, but also show whether they are available, or not. With these innovations, we hope to make meetings more active, productive and fun.

PE05 – Increased concentration and effectiveness through better acoustics

People’s productivity is highly dependent on a room’s acoustics. In an open-plan office, people are often distracted by loudly conversing colleagues, either to each other or on the phone. Productivity declines by as much as 60% when you here someone talking as you are trying to work.

People work up to three times more efficient in a quiet room. Fewer errors are made and it takes much less energy to keep your mind on your work. In addition to having solid agreements in place on where people can talk or call, acoustic elements can also absorb sound. The elements in the Hub have been developed with Nemho materials, creating a sound absorbing environment. The X-skin material also provides a feeling of warmth and comfort.

PE06 – Exercise made easy with the Fittar App

The Fittar App and the interactive mirror combined motivate people to exercise more using te selfie camera on your phone to register movement. Gamification plays an important role when stimulating users to move more often and longer.

Fittar uses challenges, battles, tournaments with leaderboards and fun interactive games in which your body acts as the game control. To stimulate exercise during office hours, Fittar has teamed up with Fontys to add specific content to the app.

PE07 – Stimulating workday micro-breaks through technology

The innovative enterprise Zens develops and produces wireless chargers. Their products have been integrated in the sit/stand-up desks at the Workplace Vitality Hub. Zens investigates how their technology can be used to stimulate more vital behaviour.

The specific topic of this project is how to stimulate micro-breaks and physical activity. The Zens products contain small nudges that stimulate people to stand up and walk around when they have been sitting at a desk for too long. In this way, Zens contributes to a healthier and more productive work environment.

PE08 - Innovative solution that facilitates working standing up

Integrating movement and changing posture during work are essential to prevent any number of physical complaints. In the ideal situation, computer work is performed sitting down part of the time, then standing up and with some exercise in between, changing position after 15, 10 and 5 minutes every half hour.

The Stand-Fit Chair makes it easier for the user to work standing up for a longer period of time. It supports the users back automatically due to the posture you have to assume when using the chair. The concept of the chair is still under development.

PE09 – More or less privacy in your meeting room, created by technology

Eyrise glass is fitted with Dynamic Liquid Crystal technology, making it possible to switch between transparent and shuttered glass. This gives users of a meeting room the option to create more privacy for certain meetings or activities, or less, creating flexible, multi-purpose spaces.

By using Eyrise glass, meeting rooms can be adjusted quickly to the user’s needs, increasing productivity and efficiency while ensuring privacy.

PE10 – Discover the advantages of a greener workspace

Plants do not simply decorate the office; they play a crucial role in the wellbeing and productivity of the people working there. A green workplace has many benefits: it improves air quality, reduces stress, enhances wellbeing and can even stimulate creativity.

Scientific research confirms that the presence of plants boosts concentration and increases workers’ satisfaction. In addition, plants help regulate moisture levels and diminish noise, resulting in a more quiet and focused work area. In our efforts to maximize these advantages, we investigate how to best integrate plants in various types of work spaces.

PE11 – Interactive cooperation through a screen

Nowadays, it is very common to work together from different locations. CTOUCH screens support interactive and hybrid cooperation, getting people more involved during meetings. This active involvement improves cooperation results. The use of touch screens also encourages people to stand and move around more during meetings.

The screens offer advanced functionalities that lift cooperation and productivity to a higher level, such as whiteboard options and wireless sharing of screens. Moreover, they have been designed with an eye for user friendliness and ergonomics, making them a valuable addition to any modern workspace.