Among positions in the medical and financial fields, the most popular careers in the U.S. today are tech employees: IT Specialists, Web Developers and Market Research Analysts. In today’s advancing business world, most in-demand jobs require an in-depth understanding of technological and digital platforms. These positions are largely built around the use of technology. They require employees to engage with computers and other digital devices for over 40 hours each week. These advancements have created great efficiency and possibility in today’s society. They have also introduced overstimulation and inactivity into the lives of users. Technological advancements are not bad, but we, as users, need to find a balance between tech and a healthy lifestyle.
Workplace Wellness
Creating a clear plan of action for workplace wellness within the office is one of the most effective ways to produce a productive, happy, and healthy team and work environment.
Workplace wellness plans can help employees thrive at the office and in their positions. However, a lack of participation is a common obstacle, as organizations cannot force employees to participate in these group initiatives and activities. They can, however, strive to provide informational content, optional activities, and rewards to help employees become healthier and more aware of the health risks associated with desk jobs.
To encourage employee participation and awareness, companies can send informative emails and hang flyers throughout the office, offer optional activities such as daily team walks or conference room yoga or create a fitness competition. As a reward for participation, provide employees with healthy break room snacks, local gift cards, or extra PTO.
Incentivizing employees will help motivate them to better themselves in and out of the office. This will create a healthier, more productive workforce.
Overstimulation
When working with technology day after day, tech employees become vulnerable to the effects of digital eye strain. Digital eye strain is a grouping of vision-related impairments. Overexposure to digital devices, such as computers, tablets, and smartphones can increase digital eye strain. The side effects of digital eye strain include eye pain, headaches, blurred vision, neck, shoulder, and back pain.
Employees can combat these side effects by taking frequent breaks from digital screens, avoiding poor lighting, and glare when using digital devices and wearing blue light blocking glasses. Unnatural blue light is emitted from digital screens. Natural blue light is emitted from sunlight and helps keep employees awake and stimulated during the day. This furthers their motivation and focus. Taking frequent breaks and adjusting the brightness and position of devices allow eyes to readjust to the natural blue light around them.
Blue light blocking glasses help employees avoid unnatural blue light. The lenses filter out the blue light emitted from digital screens.
Work with Technology
Technology can cause employees to become overworked, fatigued, and unproductive. But it doesn’t mean they have to cut it out of their lives in order to be healthy. If used correctly, technology can help tech employees become more active and productive. Using wearable devices that monitor calories, heart rate, sleep patterns, inactivity, and vitals can encourage workplace health. Wearables like the Apple Watch and the Fitbit, as well as services like Google Fit and CircleCare, motivate users and improve activity levels, mental health, and motivation, to name a few.
Tech employees are becoming more and more popular as society advances. Instead of falling victim to all of the health risks technology can cause users, employees need to work with it, rather than against it, in order to remain active and healthy.