The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms

Anna Rudnicka; Dave Cook; Marta E. Cecchinato; Sandy J. J. Gould; Joseph W. Newbold; Anna L. Cox

doi:10.1145/3533406.3533409

The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms

Anna Rudnicka, Dave Cook, Marta E. Cecchinato, Sandy J. J. Gould, Joseph W. Newbold, Anna L. Cox

Computer and Information Sciences Department

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

27 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Excessive sedentariness can impair workers' health and productivity. The move to working from home as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic eliminated many workday opportunities for physical activity. This, coupled with a blurring of boundaries between work and non-work periods, put many at risk of overwork and musculoskeletal issues. We examined how the sudden transition to working from home influenced people's ability to take physically active work breaks. We found that the absence of social norms associated with the presence of colleagues in the work environment left workers uncertain about whether and when it is appropriate to take breaks. The pressure to demonstrate productivity while working asynchronously led to increased sedentariness and decreased break-taking. We propose that online tools that promote flexible social norms around break-taking could empower remote workers to incorporate regular physical activity into their days, without compromising the beneficial aspects of asynchronous working.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHIWORK 2022
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work
Editors	Andrew L. Kun, Orit Shaer, Susanne Boll, Sarah Fox, Noopur Raval, Max L. Wilson
Place of Publication	New York, US
Publisher	ACM
Pages	1-13
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Electronic)	9781450396554
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3533406.3533409
Publication status	Published - Jun 2022
Event	1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work, CHIWORK 2022 - Virtual, Online, United States Duration: 8 Jun 2022 → 9 Jun 2022

Publication series

Name	ACM International Conference Proceeding Series

Conference

Conference	1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work, CHIWORK 2022
Country/Territory	United States
City	Virtual, Online
Period	8/06/22 → 9/06/22

Keywords

active breaks
break-taking
Covid-19
pandemic
remote work
Sedentariness
working from home

Access to Document

10.1145/3533406.3533409

Final_Break_Taking_Paper_Version_CHI_WORKAccepted author manuscript, 585 KB

Cite this

Rudnicka, A., Cook, D., Cecchinato, M. E., Gould, S. J. J., Newbold, J. W., & Cox, A. L. (2022). The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms. In A. L. Kun, O. Shaer, S. Boll, S. Fox, N. Raval, & M. L. Wilson (Eds.), CHIWORK 2022 : Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work (pp. 1-13). Article 1 (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3533406.3533409

Rudnicka, Anna ; Cook, Dave ; Cecchinato, Marta E. et al. / The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms. CHIWORK 2022 : Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work. editor / Andrew L. Kun ; Orit Shaer ; Susanne Boll ; Sarah Fox ; Noopur Raval ; Max L. Wilson. New York, US : ACM, 2022. pp. 1-13 (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series).

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title = "The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms",

abstract = "Excessive sedentariness can impair workers' health and productivity. The move to working from home as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic eliminated many workday opportunities for physical activity. This, coupled with a blurring of boundaries between work and non-work periods, put many at risk of overwork and musculoskeletal issues. We examined how the sudden transition to working from home influenced people's ability to take physically active work breaks. We found that the absence of social norms associated with the presence of colleagues in the work environment left workers uncertain about whether and when it is appropriate to take breaks. The pressure to demonstrate productivity while working asynchronously led to increased sedentariness and decreased break-taking. We propose that online tools that promote flexible social norms around break-taking could empower remote workers to incorporate regular physical activity into their days, without compromising the beneficial aspects of asynchronous working. ",

keywords = "active breaks, break-taking, Covid-19, pandemic, remote work, Sedentariness, working from home",

author = "Anna Rudnicka and Dave Cook and Cecchinato, {Marta E.} and Gould, {Sandy J. J.} and Newbold, {Joseph W.} and Cox, {Anna L.}",

note = "Funding Information: work was supported by the GetaMoveOn Network+ EPSRC grant EP/N027299/1 and the University of Birmingham.; 1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work, CHIWORK 2022 ; Conference date: 08-06-2022 Through 09-06-2022",

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Rudnicka, A, Cook, D, Cecchinato, ME, Gould, SJJ, Newbold, JW & Cox, AL 2022, The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms. in AL Kun, O Shaer, S Boll, S Fox, N Raval & ML Wilson (eds), CHIWORK 2022 : Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work., 1, ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, ACM, New York, US, pp. 1-13, 1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work, CHIWORK 2022, Virtual, Online, United States, 8/06/22. https://doi.org/10.1145/3533406.3533409

The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms. / Rudnicka, Anna; Cook, Dave; Cecchinato, Marta E. et al.
CHIWORK 2022 : Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work. ed. / Andrew L. Kun; Orit Shaer; Susanne Boll; Sarah Fox; Noopur Raval; Max L. Wilson. New York, US: ACM, 2022. p. 1-13 1 (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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Rudnicka A, Cook D, Cecchinato ME, Gould SJJ, Newbold JW, Cox AL. The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms. In Kun AL, Shaer O, Boll S, Fox S, Raval N, Wilson ML, editors, CHIWORK 2022 : Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work. New York, US: ACM. 2022. p. 1-13. 1. (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series). Epub 2022 Jun 8. doi: 10.1145/3533406.3533409

The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms

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