The Confederation of European Probation detects a clear need for a central record of training and qualification requirements, standards or curricula for probation and community supervision practitioners in EU Member States. Hogeschool Utrecht (UAS) has been commissioned to conduct a survey to collect an overview of qualification requirements and training of probation workers in order to set up a network to share knowledge, competencies and expertise among members’ states. The research question is: What kind of formation precedes the start of a career of a probation worker in the various EU Member states and how does it develop throughout his or her career? In order to answer this question, an online survey with closed and open questions has been send out among CEP members that provide or are responsible for probation services. Twenty of them filled out the questionnaire covering 18 different countries.
a b s t r a c t Prolonged sitting can cause health problems and musculoskeletal discomfort. There is a need for objective and non-obstructive means of measuring sitting behavior. A ‘smart’ office chair can monitor sitting behavior and provide tactile feedback, aiming to improve sitting behavior. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the feedback signal on sitting behavior and musculoskeletal discomfort. In a 12- week prospective cohort study (ABCB design) among office workers (n ¼ 45) was measured sitting duration and posture, feedback signals and musculoskeletal discomfort. Between the study phases, small changes were observed in mean sitting duration, posture and discomfort. After turning off the feedback signal, a slight increase in sitting duration was observed (10 min, p ¼ 0.04), a slight decrease in optimally supported posture (2.8%, p < 0.01), and musculoskeletal discomfort (0.8, p < 0.01) was observed. We conclude that the ‘smart’ chair is able to monitor the sitting behavior, the feedback signal, however, led to small or insignificant changes. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Eating healthier at work can substantially promote health for office workers. However, little has been investigated on designing pervasive health interventions specialized in improving workday eating patterns. This paper presents a design study of an mHealth app called EAT@WORK, which was designed to support office workers in the Netherlands in developing healthy eating behaviors in work routines. Based on semi-structured interviews with 12 office workers from a variety of occupations, we synthesized four key features for EAT@WORK, including supporting easy access to relevant knowledge, assisting goal setting, integrating with health programs, and facilitating peer supports. The user acceptance of EAT@WORK was examined through a within-subject study with 14 office workers, followed by a qualitative study on the applicability of app features to different working contexts. Quantitative results showed that EAT@WORK was experienced more useful than a benchmark app (p < 0.01) and EAT@WORK was also perceived easier to use than the benchmark app (p < 0.01). The qualitative analysis suggested that the goal assistant feature could be valuable for different working contexts, while the integrated health program was considered more suitable for office work than telework. The social and knowledge support were expected to be on-demand features that should loosely be bonded with the working contexts. Based on these findings, we discuss design implications for the future development of such mHealth technologies to promote healthy eating routines among office workers.
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Many companies struggle with their workplace strategy and corporate real-estate strategy, especially when they have a high percentage of knowledge workers. How to balance employee satisfaction and productivity with the cost of offices.This project focused on developing methods and tools to design customer journeys and predict the impact of investments and changes on user satisfaction with the work environment. The tools, including a game and simulation tool, allowed to focus on the needs of particular subgroups of employees while at the same time keeping an overview on the satisfaction and perceived productivity of all employees and guests. We applied Quality Function Deployment techniques to understand how needs of different types of users of (activity-based) office environments can catered for in smart customer-centric office design.
The Healthy Workplace monitor is being developed to monitor the health and well-being of knowledge workers in relation to the office space and their home workplace. Since the corona period, a lot has changed in the way knowledge workers work. Both offices and employees require more flexibility to carry out work in an efficient but also healthy and enjoyable way. It is important to identify office workers needs with regard to workspaces at the office and at home from a holistic view, in which mental , physical and social aspects play a role. A vital, happy employee is a productive employee.
Movebite aims to combat the issue of sedentary behavior prevalent among office workers. A recent report of the Nederlandse Sportraad reveal a concerning trend of increased sitting time among Dutch employees, leading to a myriad of musculoskeletal discomforts and significant health costs for employers due to increased sick leave. Recognizing the critical importance of addressing prolonged sitting in the workplace, Movebite has developed an innovative concept leveraging cutting-edge technology to provide a solution. The Movebite app seamlessly integrates into workplace platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Slack, offering a user-friendly interface to incorporate movement into their daily routines. Through scalable AI coaching and real-time movement feedback, Movebite assists individuals in scheduling and implementing active micro-breaks throughout the workday, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of sedentary behavior. In collaboration with the Avans research group Equal Chance on Healthy Choices, Movebite conducts user-centered testing to refine its offerings and ensure maximum efficacy. This includes testing initiatives at sports events, where the diverse crowd provides invaluable feedback to fine-tune the app's features and user experience. The testing process encompasses both quantitative and qualitative approaches based on the Health Belief Model. Through digital questionnaires, Movebite aims to gauge users' perceptions of sitting as a health threat and the potential benefits of using the app to alleviate associated risks. Additionally, semi-structured interviews delve deeper into user experiences, providing qualitative insights into the app's usability, look, and feel. By this, Movebite aims to not only understand the factors influencing adoption but also to tailor its interventions effectively. Ultimately, the goal is to create an environment encouraging individuals to embrace physical activity in small, manageable increments, thereby fostering long-term engagement promoting overall well-being.Through continuous innovation and collaboration with research partners, Movebite remains committed to empowering individuals to lead healthier, more active lifestyles, one micro-break at a time.
