Running Head: CHANGING 1

Changing the Culture

Group 22 - Houston

Arizona State University

PPE 310: Healthy Learning Communities

L4: Assignment - Changing the Culture

Jennifer Houston

6 November 2017
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Changing the Culture

Refresher - Our workplace is a call service company with very sedentary practices, and lacks

nutritious food options nearby. (previous assignment:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zRlwrMUUeRU1lLiobVuzi_h0S0IWsUfgzM9lhC-U87s/edit

Introduction

We have been tasked as a Wellness Committee to change the workplace culture to

promote a healthier and more active environment. This culture change will appeal to the social,

emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual aspects of all employees. The goal is to reform

Houston 22 Reformers through the integration of physical activities in the workplace and to

ultimately increase cognitive functions, engagement, and motivation of the employees

throughout Houston 22 Reformers. In the following sections we will look into physical activities

that can be implemented in the workplace, as well as the immediate and long term results for all

of the employees. Our committee is comprised of Ashleigh Gardner, Marlene Kaye, Ruby

Padilla, Chelsea Johnston, Rachel Tidwell, Jasmine Dunn, and Kristen Kidd.

Social

Exercise partners provide a powerful combination of support, accountability, motivation and, in

some cases, healthy competition(Wagner, 2012). In our company, we hope to encourage our

employees to stay healthy and active. One great way to do this is to encourage them to do

activities together. In our workspace, we plan to place a bulletin board in the common work

space area. On this board, we will provide useful information on healthy habits and eating right.

We will also collaborate with businesses in the area that provide physical fitness classes such

as a gym, yoga studio, indoor rock climbing, pilates, etc. We plan to reach out to these

companies and provide our employees with discounts on classes. On the bulletin board, we will

have sign-up sheets listing these different activities. Our employees will be able to see who is

going to a class, and hopefully, this will encourage them to join them.
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In our company, we also provide a space where employees are encouraged to eat their

lunch. In this room there is a small kitchen, couches and tables where employees can hang out

during their lunch break. We also will let employees have small breaks where they can relax in

order to refocus and get back to work with a clear mind.

Emotional

Our company recognizes emotional health of our staff as an important aspect of overall

health which can be affected by the working environment as well as all other areas in a persons

life. Our company is looking to offer both professional accessibility (mental health

professionals) and holistic approaches to accommodate all staff preferences and needs. A

holistic approach includes, a focus on managing stress, getting more restorative sleep, finding a

balance between your work and home life, fostering connections within the workplace and larger

community, and taking care of financial health. 2016 is seeing an increase in mindfulness and

resiliency training. The thought being that if employees are better able to the manage their

stress it will be easier for them to make healthier lifestyle choices (Wellnessfits, 2014). Areas

are provided for meditation and socialization purposes to meet all needs, along with the physical

health changes as well. By offering training and assistance in various stress management

areas, our company is working to help all staff to have a positive action plan for facing the stress

both at work and in other areas of their life. We believe that happy, healthy employees are more

productive.

Physical

Standing desks/adjustable furniture will be added to our floor, removing the standard

cubicles. Each employee will have the chance of opting out of standing furniture. The new

furniture will be at the companys expense without any charge to the employee. Chairs will still

be available for those who choose/need. If you have special physical needs, the equivalent will

be provided for those who qualify. We will encourage our employees to get healthy by
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promoting different athletic teams within the office. We will have a different office intramural

team that will last approximately 6-8 weeks depending on the participation. With this action, we

hope to promote healthier lifestyles and also increase camaraderie among employees.

Participation is not mandatory but is encouraged. In addition, we will also have office

participation in sponsored mud runs such as Tough Mudder or Spartan Races and all are

encouraged to sign up. The company will also have employer reimbursement for up to 200

dollars annually for health and fitness memberships. Finally, there will be an office gym

available for all employees. Employees will be paid up to 4 hours weekly for working out in the

office gym. We hope the availability would encourage all employees to live a happier healthier

lifestyle. This will correlate into a boost in productivity among employees and a healthier

workforce.

Intellectual

Our company is seeking to improve the intellectual well-being of our employees primarily

through making updates in physical and cultural contexts that improve cognitive functioning. For

example, one benefit of standing desks is that it promotes physical movement which stimulates

energy and cognitive function. Stromberg (2014) argues that while the statement may be

somewhat exaggerated, sitting is the new smoking in the sense of medical health risks and

cognitive distraction. For example, in our office we answer calls all day and must be ready to

pick up the phone whenever it rings. However, that sitting break in between each call is like

constant naptime, with little productivity or brain stimulation (see visual). In light of this, we

propose that in addition to the cognitive benefits of proper nutrition and physical activity (like

standing desks), our company uses time in between calls as opportunity to work on puzzles or

brain teasers as a group. These activities would be located on desk computers and could be

attempted as a team or as individuals. The games themselves should promote qualities

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important to productivity, such as focus, determination, problem-solving and attention to detail.

Prizes or incentives will be given to the top performers.

Spiritual

Outdoor space and indoor plants

will be strategically placed throughout not

only the office space, but the lunch and

gym spaces as well. This greenery will

bring a pleasantness of well-being to the

space, and help purify the air from cleaning

chemicals. We want to have as much

openness as possible as to let lots of

natural sunlight into the office space.

Studies have shown that workplaces with good sunlight exposure had a 3%-40% gain in

productivity and sales, workers with natural elements (i.e. greenery and sunlight) were found to

be 15% more creative than those without, and an increase in greenery view quality and natural

light exposure reflected a 6.5% variation in sick leave (Buchanan, Sayago 2016). In our office,

we encourage mindful practice, which is highly beneficial spiritually. Mindfulness is a great way

to reduce negative stress, and can be linked to showing an overall improvement to ones

general health (Ackerman 2017). In the workplace specifically, a study which required

employees to participate in an eight-week mindfulness intervention experienced lower levels of

work-related stress, greater job satisfaction, and, ultimately enhanced job performance as rated

by their employers (Shonin, Van Gordon, Dunn, Singh, & Griffiths, 2014). In order to increase

and maintain positive vibes in our workplace community, we encourage employees to engage in

the communal bulletin board in which they are able to read and/or post positive notes others

have posted. Reading and/or writing encouraging words could be a great way for employers to
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start off their days, and can be helpful when one feels they need some words of

encouragement.

Conclusion

Changing the culture of our current work environment benefits employees in physical and

mental health and nutrition, but it also benefits our company. Insurance rates will improve

because the need for health care benefits will decrease. However, the company will excel in

finances as well. Revenue will increase from a more productive and satisfied workforce.

Turnover will be reduced given the social and caring environment created. Customer

satisfaction will also likely increase from the improved attitude amongst employees. This

performance will create unity, stronger customer retention, and attraction of top talents for future

employees.

References

Ackerman, C. (2017, March 6). The 23 Amazing Health Benefits of Mindfulness for Body and

Brain. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from

https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/benefits-of-mindfulness/

Buchanan, A., & Sayago, J. (2016, April 18). Why Natural Light Matters in the
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Workplace. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from http://www.eco-

business.com/opinion/why-natural-light-matters-in-the-workplace

Mildon, E. (2015, November 11). 6 Ways a Holistic Approach Can Change Your Life.

Retrieved November 05, 2017, from

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/emma-mildon/6-ways-a-holistic-approach-can-change-y

Positive Post It Notes [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2017, from

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/56/b0/c8/56b0c82bbb1a8ddd07bca5dddab22de9--college-b

athroom-decor-motivation-wall.jpg

Schulman, A. (2017). 8 Tips for Better Vibes in your Home & Workplace. Retrieved November

5, 2017, from

https://raiseyourvibrationtoday.com/2015/03/31/add-positive-vibes-home-workspace/

Stromberg, Joseph (2014). Five Health Benefits of Standing Desks. Smithsonian.com.

Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-health-benefits-

standing-desks-180950259/our-life_b_8427336.html

Wagner, G. D.(2012). Strength in Numbers: The Importance of Fitness Buddies. Retrieved

November 06, 2017, from

https://experiencelife.com/article/strength-in-numbers-the-importance-of-fitness-buddies/

Wellnessfits, (2014). TIPS FOR CREATING A WORKPLACE THAT SUPPORTS HEALTHY,

ACTIVE EMPLOYEES. Retrieved from:

http://www.activewellness.com/blog/5-ways-corporate-wellness-is-changing