(Newswire.net — August 11, 2015) — Wisdom Hackers recently released a series of essays, one of which explores how people can incorporate kinaesthetic knowledge into sedentary office life. We know that office use has changed radically over the last decade. Temporary office specialists such as Regus have seen exponential growth alongside smaller office space providers like i2 Office who have been able to expand their operation in London. The majority of such companies now incorporate coworking spaces into their services.
The popularity of workspace flexibility, from temporary offices to coworking and hot desking, means that office space is adapting to reflect both human and business needs. But how can work practises change to benefit us alongside our businesses? Using and improving employee ‘kinaesthetic knowledge’ is one suggested way forward.
What is kinaesthetic knowledge?
It’s not the most common term but you will have come across the idea in your daily life. It’s a process of muscle memory and being able to complete tasks through a series of movements. One everyday example is the ability to touch type, but equally the delicate movements of a surgeon or the reflexes of a boxer are examples too.
We complete tasks using our kinaesthetic knowledge several times a day, from making a cup of tea to tying shoelaces. These are very minor uses of kinaesthetic knowledge. Before many of us worked in sedentary office environs our bodies would have been subject to more tasks throughout the day that rely upon muscle memory and movement. We’re aware how aerobic exercises can benefit us but even going for a gentle stroll has vast benefits on creativity.
How can it be integrated into your office?
There are many ways office life can integrate the values of kinaesthetic knowledge into their workplace. Some of these can be quite small, such as standing for meetings. This is said to increase attention, help people bounce ideas back and forth, as well as make meetings more efficient.
More extreme examples can be seen in the treadmill desk which has become popular with some offices. However if your business is small this is an expensive commitment and wholly impractical if your company does not have permanent office space or embarks on a lot of remote work.
Incorporating an activity into your day and encouraging employees in your office to take part can have great benefits. There is of course an element of team bonding that cannot be denied in group activities, be it a walk in the local park, a yoga class or a ‘bodystorming’ session.
Alongside the bonding element the activities should have a positive impact on company morale, creativity and productivity. A happy, healthy office more often than not makes for better productivity.