Research says open-concept offices have employees take 70 per cent more sick days
New research concerning open-concept offices will likely see employees reaching for some disinfectant.
Employees working in open-concept offices took 70 per cent more sick days than their counterparts working in isolation, according to a recent Canada Life Group Insurance survey. While employees who work from home took an average of 1.8 sick days in 2013, workers in open-concept offices took 3.1.
The move towards a more collaborative working environment means employees are working in closer proximity and, along with the co-mingling of personal and shared belongings, is further increasing employees’ chances of becoming ill.
The research revealed the extent to which working environments can adversely affect employee health and well-being, with open-concept offices rated as one of the unhealthiest environments in which to work.
According to Bryna Warshawsky, public health physician for Public Health Ontario, infection is most commonly spread through proximity and shared surfaces.
"Generally, respiratory infections spread by either being within two metres of somebody — being close enough that someone could cough or sneeze on you — or through contact with the environment. So if I coughed into my hand and touched a surface, someone else touching that surface throughout the day would be at risk of introducing that infection into their mouth, nose and eyes."
The ‘sneeze zone’
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), widely accepted minimum requirement ranges for workstations — 107 cm by 152 cm — are well within the so-called sneeze zone.
In addition to frequent hand washing, Warshawsky recommended the regular disinfection of shared workplace spaces.
"In a work environment there is lots of potential for interaction," she said. "It’s important for employers to be clear about what sick policies are and to make sure they’re not punitive. You don’t want people to feel compelled to come to work when they’re so ill that they’re contagious. If your policy is such that employees are essentially penalized for taking sick time, you’re going to encourage people to come to work when they’re ill and cause the spread of disease in the workplace."
Robyn Benson, national president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), said providing an adequate sick leave benefit is one of the single most important things an employer can do to maintain the health and safety of employees.
"It’s an insurance policy every employer, every company should have for their employees," Benson said. "Employers have an obligation to look after their employees and that means providing sick leave."
But when it comes to creating a healthy working environment for employees, the spread of cold and flu isn’t the only concern for employers considering their sick leave policies.
In addition to feeling their physical health was influenced by their working environment, employees surveyed by Canada Life Group Insurance reported mental health was equally affected. Of the employees working in open-concept offices surveyed, 28 per cent reported their working environment causes stress.
"We spend the majority of our time at work, so it’s not surprising that the type of environment you work in can have such a significant impact on your health and wellbeing," said Paul Avis, marketing director at Canada Life Group Insurance.
"With illness already prone to spreading in office environments, it’s crucial to offer a workspace that cultivates good health and well-being rather than damages it. It’s particularly concerning that a quarter of employees feel their mental wellbeing is being negatively affected by their work environment: stress is a major cause of long-term absence and can be hugely detrimental to both employee and employer."
Stress affects both an employee’s physical and mental health. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association the body undergoes a series of changes in reaction to stress, commonly referred to as the "stress response."
The three stages of stress response include the mobilization of energy, the consumption of energy stores and the draining of energy stores.
Immediately after recognizing stress the body releases adrenaline, resulting in increased heartbeat and breathing. If the source of stress is not eliminated, the body begins to release stored sugars and fats from its resources. This can lead to exhaustion, anxiety and memory loss as well as make
the body more susceptible to infection in the form of colds and flu.
If the source of stress remains unresolved, the body’s need for energy becomes greater than its ability to produce it, and the body can become chronically stressed. Employees suffering from chronic stress can experience insomnia, errors in judgment and personality changes. Chronic stress also puts employees at risk of developing more serious sicknesses such as heart disease, ulcers or mental illness.
According to Benson many employees are part of the so-called "sandwich generation," responsible for taking care of not only their children but also their parents. Attempting to maintain a work-life balance while taking on so many responsibilities is a huge source of stress, she said.
"There’s a real need for making sure employees benefit from an adequate sick leave provision," Benson said, emphasizing the importance of creating a workplace environment that takes into account the need for maintaining both physical and mental health.
"Every employer should provide sick leave for its employees, and that provides wellness in and of itself."
