25 years ago, Aeris brought movement into sitting by developing a high-tech motion technology and thereby revolutionized the world of work. But modern health standards are still lacking, especially in the home office. A rethink is therefore needed, especially when it comes to the topic of "New Work".
Is what we have achieved so far at Aeris a reason to be happy? For Aeris and everyone who uses an Aeris product: Yes. But what is the "movement situation" like in offices and home offices in general? Is there less back pain? Are there fewer lifestyle diseases? Is there more movement in everyday life? Unfortunately not. On the contrary.
That is why there is an urgent need for a rethink on the topic of "New Work". Increasing digitalization is changing the world of work quickly and fundamentally. Many activities have become location-independent. Working from home has become the norm for many. However, this leads to even less movement in everyday life.
Health standards are missing in the home office
In contrast to the traditional office, nothing is regulated in a health-friendly way in the home office. The technical equipment is usually OK, but the equipment for people is very often inadequate. Our large Aeris home office study has shown:
- 64 percent of employees complain about health problems caused by working from home.
- For 54 percent of respondents, the office furniture in their home office is significantly worse than in the company.
- More than one in three people take fewer breaks or eat on the go.
- Many employees organize their working day in their own four walls very differently than in the office. The result: less movement in between and more time in front of the computer overall.
The negative effects of too little exercise in the home office become apparent after just a few months.
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Josef Glöckl
Managing Director Aeris GmbH
Aeris CEO, Josef Glöckl, warns: "Those who managed at least 2 - 3000 steps of the recommended 10,000 per day before Corona often only manage fewer than 1,000 steps when working from home. For example, they miss the walk to the car or bus, the walk to the office, to colleagues, to the canteen and many more. What is really frightening is that the negative effects of too little exercise in the home office are clear and become apparent after just a few months." And he warns that the long-term effects for each individual, but also for our health and pension systems, will be unaffordable in the long term.
Aeris CEO Josef Glöckl warns of the long-term consequences of a lack of exercise. /small>
Employers must enable hybrid working between office and home office
So what is the solution for the future? Should everyone just go back to the office and give up the freedom and individual advantages of working from home? Aeris says: No! Our approach to "New Work" - hybrid working. A hybrid working model combines all the advantages of the classic office with those of working from home and location-independent working. This enables a better balance between job and family, individual work design and significantly more creativity. It also makes ecological sense: commuter traffic is reduced and CO2 is saved.
Ideal: better integration between office and home office
According to Aeris, the solution lies in this better integration of home office and office work. The stationary office also has great added value compared to working on the road or at home. It offers space for communication, promotes social interaction, strengthens the sense of togetherness among the workforce, creates identity and stimulates creativity. All important factors for well-being and performance. This kind of exchange between people can only be achieved in the office.
A hybrid working model enables a better balance between job and family. /small>
The focus is on individualized workplace solutions. Everywhere.
According to Patrick Wurm, Aeris Chief Growth Officer, we should not ask ourselves "What should the office or home office of the future look like?" It is better to ask: "What does each individual employee need to stay physically and mentally fit, motivated and productive?" A new set of rules is needed that is tailored to each individual! With one goal: to achieve more physical and mental movement. For example, through movement-promoting active chairs and customizable movement concepts.
To highlight the lack of exercise, Aeris is shaking people up with a Europe-wide brand campaign. With this campaign in a new language and design style, we are even more aggressively promoting our vision of life in motion and the compatibility of lifestyle, ergonomics and health.
"Only companies that manage to keep their employees physically and mentally active and therefore healthy and motivated will remain competitive in the long term," says Aeris boss Josef Glöckl. And he adds: "At Aeris, all employees use our active products from the very beginning, which automatically promote both. I think that's great proof - and makes me very optimistic about the future."
