Vipin Wadhen

Research project: The Effectiveness of Yoga Interventions in Improving Wellbeing and Productivity of Desk-based Workers

Abstract

Desk-based work has been identified as a key sedentary behaviour responsible for the large proportion of daily waking hours spent sitting. A typical desk-based employee spends approximately half to two-thirds of their working hours in a sedentary position. Rapid advances in technology and computerised tasks, combined with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have resulted in prolonged workplace sitting across the world. Sedentary behaviour has consistently been associated with increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer risk, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, musculoskeletal and mental health disorders. The work-related mental illnesses and musculoskeletal disorders are commonly recognised as significant causes of work-related disability, absenteeism, productivity loss, and a significant economic and psychosocial burden. Workplace interventions targeting well-being and productivity in sedentary settings have become imperative given the harmful ripple effect of desk-based work. There has been a surge in mindfulness-based interventions in the workplace in recent years, showing encouraging results, as highlighted by several systematic reviews. However, exclusive meditation-based interventions cannot manage musculoskeletal conditions due to their inactive nature. The shortcomings of purely meditation-based workplace interventions have their solution in the ancient practice of yoga. Yoga has been accepted as a holistic movement practice similar to mindfulness with the added advantage of components like postures and breathing practices, providing physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual benefits. The proposed research aims to assess the efficacy of yoga interventions (face-to-face and online) in improving the well-being and productivity of desk-based workers using subjective and objective measures.