Why Your Next Promotion Will Be Bad For Your Health

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_color=”” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” padding_right=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=””]

You made it! You are now in the position you have longed for. All the hard work has paid off! After putting in the time and right amount of effort you have landed your dream job. Nothing to worry about right?!?! Of all the exciting things to think about after a new promotion (or career change), the last is probably worrying about how your health is affected in the process. I congratulate you on your new endeavor! However, as you received your promotion, more than likely your health took a demotion. How can this be?

For starters, it is easy to see that the amount of physical activity required for daily job duties varies from industry to industry (think about how active lumberjacks are compared to computer programmers). Even within the same company the amount of physical activity differs. How much physical activity does the company custodian get each day compared to you? Or are you the company custodian working to become maintenance supervisor?

The benefits of regular exercise (improved strength, stamina, and flexibility) is well known, however what is not, is the need for general physical activity. I previously discuss this issue here: Why Exercise Isn’t Everything (some experts even argue that general physical activity is more important the leisurely exercise). Either way, we still need to exercise and move regularly. What does this have to do your recent movement up the company organization chart? Well, let’s quickly review how work gets done nowadays…

Our modern world often requires much knowledge work (reading and writing at a computer) and less physical work (it doesn’t take much effort to type). I don’t reckon that lumberjacks spend their day, stagnant, in front a computer screen for 6-8 hours (if there is a new breed of modern/techy lumberjacks reading this blog, then I apologize if I have offended you).

An overwhelming amount of research has led experts to give recommendations regarding the amount of: leisure exercise, general physical activity, and sedentary behavior (sitting) we should engage in each day.

In many fields, as you move up and advance through the ranks, less physical activity is required to perform your main job duties. Unfortunately, as we are promoted, our daily activities change from doing things that our body was designed to do (moving frequently, picking up and carrying heavy objects) to activities that our bodies are not designed for and are bad for our bodies (sitting in a chair for extended periods). There are certainly fields where a promotion may not change daily physical demands at all (advancing from accountant I to accountant II).

Below, I analyze 3 different industries to see how promotion within a single industry decreases overall physical activity, thus, making any climb up the corporate ladder possibly worse off for your health.

I break down the 3 industries by picking 3 common job positions, and assessing each positions typical job tasks, general physical activity level, and where work takes place.**

Industry 1: Skilled trades (plumbers, electricians, welders)

• Starting position: The Gopher
  • Job Tasks: Does everything the skilled tradesman says…fetches tools, supplies, hauls things from point A to point B. When working up the ladder in skilled trades, the gopher earns their stripes following (physically demanding) orders
  • Physical Activity Level: High
  • Where work is completed: On site, where the physical labor is needed.
• Mid-Level position: Skilled Tradesman
  • Job Tasks: Performs the skilled trade itself (plumbing, welding, drilling)
  • Physical Activity Level: Medium – High (depending on the trade)
  • Where work is completed: On site, where the physical labor is needed
• Final position: Supervisor/Foreman
  • Job Tasks: Delegates jobs, manages teams of gophers and skilled tradesman, completes paperwork, travels from job site to job site
  • Physical Activity Level: Low
  • Where work is completed: In an office, company vehicles, on site

For workers in the skilled trades, as they move up the ranks, the amount of physical activity that is required to perform their job responsibilities is less and less. Foreman literally do less physical labor.

Industry 2: Human Services*

• Starting position: Therapist, Direct Care Staff
  • Job Tasks: Works with individuals on learning targets, self care routines, attends day trips and community events with clients
  • Physical Activity Level: Medium – High (depending on client needs)
  • Where work is completed: In the field (schools, private therapy centers)
• Mid-Level position: Assistant Consultant/Staff Manager
  • Job Tasks: Fills-in therapy hours when therapists are sick/absent, coordinates staff trainings, designs teaching programs for individuals
  • Physical Activity Level: Low – Medium – High (depending on client needs)
  • Where work is completed: In the field, at private center
• Final position: Supervisor/Senior Consultant
  • Job Tasks: Oversees design of individual programs, staff training, and attend client meetings
  • Physical Activity Level: Low
  • Where work is completed: In an office, conference rooms, in the field

In the human services industry, as you gain more experience and education, the less time you spend with clients, which ultimately results in less physical activity you engage in throughout the day (as a result of changing job responsibilities).

Industry 3: Community service members (police officers, firefighters)

• Starting position: Rookie
  • Job Tasks: Does everything senior officers says (similar to a gopher)…cleans up, gets supplies, assist on service calls, helps on scene
  • Physical Activity Level: Medium – High
  • Where work is completed: In the field, at the station
• Mid-Level position: Full-time officer
  • Job Tasks: Responds to and completes service calls, light paperwork
  • Physical Activity Level: Low – Medium – High (depending patrol style: bicycle officers vs. patrol car officers)
  • Where work is completed: Primarily in the field
• Final position: Chief
  • Job Tasks: Manages full-time officers and rookies, makes service call decisions (send in Team A or Team B), attends administrative meetings and fulfill related duties
  • Physical Activity Level: Low
  • Where work is completed: In the office, in the field, at various stations

As service members rise through their ranks, less and less of their time is spent doing the actual work (arresting criminals, putting out fires) and more time spent managing those that do.

In all three industries above, skilled trades, human services, and community service, each transition to a higher role resulted in more or less physical activity. Each final position resulted in the most responsibility, but the least amount of physical activity. Other industries probably share similar physical activity trends. How does your industry compare if you do not work in any of the above fields?

Each final position resulted in the most responsibility, but the least amount of physical activity.

While I discussed promotion/career advancement above, there are different situations that will apply to others such as: where your career starts, making a career change, and going through a life transition.

Where your career starts. Unfortunately for some, their careers start right in front of a computer, doing knowledge work all day. If this is the case, it is that much more important to follow Sedentary Behavior Guidelines.

Making a Career Change. Some of us change industries altogether. You may literally go from being active all day to not at all. I recall a friend that transitioned from being a teacher (on her feet all day) to a university admissions assistant (sitting all day). In the process she gained 15 pounds. This might happen with everyone, but it appears as a strong correlation to a decrease in physical activity levels…

Going through a life transition. In the circle of life, we, in developed nations, go through the phases of attending school K-12, going to and graduating from college, working for 30-40 years, and retiring. Differences in physical activity levels also occur when:

• A 3-sport high school athlete goes to college and sits in class or at the library all day (maybe a culprit to the “Freshman 15”)
• Starting first job at a company that requires computer work
• Retiring from construction work to sit on a boat and fish all day
• Moving into an assisted living facility later in life (regular chores now done for you)

The above analysis frames health in the context of physical activity. Of course, other variables such as the amount of sleep and nutrition play important roles as well.

What is the behavioral focus?

If you earn a promotion or go through other life/career changes that result in lower physical activity, then you may want to pick a few of the following strategies:

1. Compare workplace A to workplace B

How will your new office or workspace be set up? Does it encourage more sitting or more moving? This is where the standing desks come in handy. What can you do to promote more physical activity? Do you need your own trashcan or can you walk down the hall? Can you choose the office farthest from the supply room?

2. If you transition to a less active job, replace the lost physical activity

For example, if you were on your feet as a teacher for 2-4 hours/day, can you schedule in 4 (30) minute walking breaks (maybe not all at work, but throughout the day). By not replacing the time spent on your feet, you will lose all of the strength and endurance associated with your former job. Its sets up a vicious cycle (negative feedback loop). You lose your strength, you can’t move for as long without getting tired, so you quit earlier…resulting let time spent standing or walking around. I don’t think anybody wants that.

3. Track the number of standing breaks you take per hour

The experts are clear on this: we need to move every 30 minutes. Walk to the trash, get a drink of water, go feel the wind on your face, whatever is easiest for you. Write it down, start small. If you only stand every 70 minutes, then work slowly to every 60 minutes. Start where you at, not what the standard is (every 30 minutes).

In conclusion, do you find yourself often sitting in that comfy executive’s chair more often than you should? Are you spending more time in the corner office? Is this you? And more importantly, can you link this to your job promotion? Do you know a friend or colleague going through a career transition or just received a promotion?

We are all going through transitions at different points in our lives. Many of these transitions are related to our career and much of our physical health depends on how we spend our time in these jobs. How we take care of body all day at work is just as, if not more important, than leaving early to go spin class.

It is critical that we all play an active role in our own lives when it comes to our health and daily physical activity…especially when the natural progression of career advancement and promotion, engineers the physical activity out of our lives.

---

* Related to any therapy services for individuals with developmental delays

**Please note that the above industry examples are general frameworks for explanation purposes. It is not the author’s intention to confuse job roles or titles. The above activity levels are guides based on personal knowledge.

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]