The Japanese government has launched a campaign to improve working environments in the country, in an effort to make workplaces healthier for Japanese workers.
This has accelerated the development of new types of office furniture that encourages workers to be more active while they work in the office.
The Kokuyo Company in Osaka has created new office chairs that it calls the “ing”. It has a gliding seat that inclines in every direction as an office worker shifts their body. To remain on the chair, sitters must constantly balance themselves as the chair moves. Workers swing and flex their muscles while seated. It is claimed that sitting in the chair for four hours consumes the same amount of calories as a 1.5 kilometre walk.
The Okamura Corp. office furniture manufacturer has developed an office desk that has a motor that can change the height of the desk working surface. The idea is that workers should periodically raise the height of the desk and work standing up. The company says that working standing up for periods reduces fatigue. Many high-tech firms in Japan have installed the desks in their workplaces.
Another furniture manufacture, Itoki Corp., has a manufactured metal pole sets that resemble playground equipment for employees to exercise on.
Many British companies promote health and wellbeing by providing company gyms and healthy eating options in their canteens. It remains to be seen whether they will follow the Japanese by installing office equipment that encourages exercise at the same time as working.
