With Fitness in Mind

Following a warning from the CIPD that UK workplace productivity has been at a standstill for the past few years, SBT takes a closer look at the importance of maintaining staff cognitive fitness.

Recent research gathered by employee engagement and consumer Insights experts, Qualtrics, revealed that UK workers thought that over 36% of their time spent at work was unproductive. The CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, has also voiced its concerns over this trend, warning that UK productivity has been at a standstill for the past few years, with output per hour worked still nearly 2% lower than it was at the start of the recession in 2008. According to the OECD, the slowdown in productivity over the past decade has led to concerns about the long-term economic outlook. Its figures show that despite the UK economy having grown since 2012, productivity has fallen by around 1.15%. For British business owners and managers these figures are worrying. In light of recent rises in the national living wage and other government cuts effecting many businesses, it is important now more than ever, for staff to be as productive as they can be within working hours.

David Lynes, Director of IQTimecard, says: “Productivity has always been a key word for managers and business owners wanting to ensure that their companies are as efficient as possible, especially in this challenging corporate climate. The recent results revealed in the survey by Qualitrics are sure to be concerning for managers across the UK.

There has been a lot of analysis and discussion on the causes of this ‘productivity puzzle’ and, crucially, why some organisations and individuals perform much better than others. So what can business people do to improve the productivity and performance of their employees and ultimately their entire organisation?

A number of major new studies have been launched, focussing on individual workers’ thinking processes; how these could be developed, and ways in which these enhancements could be translated into improved organisational performance. The research is being spearheaded by workplace change management consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA), which for some years has been supporting the professional development of ‘workplace’ leaders through its Workplace Performance Innovation Network (Workplace PIN).

“The ‘PIN’ provides a number of groups to support leaders in their aspiration to deliver an advanced workplace,” says Andrew Mawson, one of the Founding Directors of AWA and Director of AWA’s Cognitive Research programme. “One such group is the Workplace PIN Research Group whose primary goal is to unearth the best unbiased science in the interface between people, place, organisation and technology and to translate the science into tools and a language that allow leaders to use it to make a difference.”

The most recent of these studies is on cognitive fitness, a research project which is looking at ways to improve the cognitive performance of each individual employee and the overall benefit of the entire business. The aim is to show organisations how they can create the social and physical conditions to get people’s brains fitter so that individuals operate at their best.

To achieve this, AWA has partnered with The Centre for Evidence Based Management in Holland to conduct a research study looking into the factors that impact the workings of the brain.

Andrew comments: “This research is about creating the right conditions for people’s cognitive performance to be at its very best and this work will have the greatest impact in knowledge-based organisations.”

He adds: “If everyone within an organisation worked at their very best, then the impact on an organisation’s productivity and bottom line would be enormous.”

But what do we mean by cognitive fitness? Andrew explains that the effectiveness of our brains makes a real difference to the performance and contribution we bring to our organisations every day – and in today’s mainly knowledge based economy, where people need to ‘think for a living’, the effectiveness of the way our brains function matters most. Cognition is a scientific term for the working of the brain. ‘Cognitive fitness’ is all about getting your brain into the best shape possible to enable you to be at your personal best, mentally, every day.

Andrew explains: “Our primary research question was ‘what is known from the scientific literature about the factors that impact cognitive performance (i.e. concentration, memory, accuracy, problem solving, decision making), such as nutrition, hydration, air quality, sleep, physical fitness, posture, working position, physical environment/workplace design, ownership of space, and workplace culture?”

The research team searched through key academic databases and selected studies that not only addressed the research question but did so in a scientifically valid, ethical and efficient way.

Although some of these factors may be influenced by individuals choices, others are directly influenced by the way an employer runs the workplace; how they manage employees and their workflow; how they lead people; and if or how they educate them about their tasks.

So armed with this information, what can business leaders be doing now to help address the productivity gap?

Upon gathering these findings, AWA is running trials to see if they can discern a positive difference in performance in the workplace. “We need to try and start getting a scientific movement in the direction of productivity,” suggests Andrew.

And it would seem that at least one local business in Sussex agrees. Cathy Hayward, MD of Brighton-based Magenta Associates, a PR, communications and content agency for the built environment sector, says: “As a creative and consultative organisation, it’s important that everyone here at Magenta performs to the best of their ability. We’re lucky to work with an array of exciting clients in the the FM, property and workplace sectors so it’s imperative that the team are able to constantly think of new ideas in order to meet and exceed expectations. The skill, ability and experience sitting within a workforce isn’t always enough. In addition to attracting and maintaining the best talent, organisations must also provide a work environment that aids employees in their day-to-day roles in order to tap into their potential.”

This vital insight from AWA has resulted in a number of new initiatives within Magenta Associates, and here are just a few small ways in which your, or any other company can also improve workplace productivity:

Nutritional and Accessible Snacks: Every week at Magenta there is now a delivery of fresh fruit and bread, and the cupboards and fridge are always stocked with spreads, jams, cereal and milk; to encourage staff to help themselves to a nutritionally rich breakfast every morning. The team are also switching from tap to filtered water and the office has recently invested in a brand new coffee machine. Having more nutritional foods on offer in the workplace will encourage people to eat healthier rather than going out to get the easiest and cheapest thing they find – which is often unhealthy. Having water easily accessible is also vital as this acts as fuel for the brain; dehydration has a dangerous impact on the brain and can, in the short term cause a lack of concentration or alertness.

Physical Exercise: This is now part and parcel of daily life at Magenta. Not only are the staff signing up to charitable fitness challenges left, right and centre, but they also have to climb up a flight of stairs in the morning and every lunchtime. Needless to say, physical and mental health are inextricably linked, not just in the workplace but in every day life; keeping your body active also keeps your brain on top form.

Healthy Work Environment: The workspace itself should also reflect the factors that affect cognitive performance. Magenta now hosts a variety of spaces that allow the team to work in a setting of their choosing, so they’re able to avoid distractions when concentrative work is underway.

Flexible Working: Magenta also offers flexible working, which means the individuals as part of the organisation can decide when, how and where they work on their tasks. The staff believe this element of freedom stimulates their minds and keeps them engaged and active. This isn’t the ideal solution for all workplaces, but this is a trend that’s more and more coming
to the fore of working life. Employees crave a good work/life balance, and this is one of the best ways of tackling an imbalance between work and personal life.

Research revealed eight things, which can and do impact on cognitive performance –

1. Caffeine and Glucose drinks: These beverages significantly impact alertness and focus when people become mentally tired.
2. Hydration: Not drinking enough impacts the brain as well as the body – memory, decision-making and attention are all impacted by dehydration.
3. Eating/not eating breakfast: The brain needs fuel – particularly after a night’s sleep when fluids, nutrients and sugars have been depleted. Malnutrition impacts many brain functions, including information processing and memory.
4. The environment: lighting, temperature and scent: Being uncomfortable distracts people from work – it’s that simple. Being able to find the right conditions increases the chances of best performance.
5. Being stimulated: Demanding and varied activities have a positive impact on the brain’s performance. Mindfulness can help with focus and concentration.
6. Sleep: This is necessary for all brain functions. Insufficient sleep affects concentration, decision-making and relationships.
7. Activity and exercise: Acute exercise and having an active lifestyle are promoted for physical health but also positively impact all brain functions.
8. Distractions and interruptions: The workplace is full of distractions – noise, speech and being interrupted impact concentration and focus to a significant degree.