The finding comes as part of a new Ipsos MRBI study which has prompted a warning from the Irish Heart Foundation about the increased risk of stroke and heart disease.
Workers are being encouraged to move more regularly during the working day, with the Foundation calling for people to move for a minute each hour.
We’re no longer commuting to work, we’re doing video calls instead of attending meetings, we’re instant messaging colleagues instead of popping over to their desk, so really our new way of working has led to us being a lot more sedentary.
Foundation spokesperson Tara Curran says people are not being active enough since the move to working from home: “For many reasons, peoples’ daily routine has changed.
“We’re no longer commuting to work, we’re doing video calls instead of attending meetings, we’re instant messaging colleagues instead of popping over to their desk, so really our new way of working has led to us being a lot more sedentary.”
Ms Curran says employers can also do more to help: “We’re encouraging all employers to schedule shorter video call meetings for their staff.
“We’re saying that they would, instead of having an hour-long meeting, shorten their meeting to 50 minutes so that staff have a few minutes to get up, move about and prepare for their next meeting.”
