Workplace Wellness via Persuasive Technology

Overview

The goal of this project was to gather qualitative insights — by use of contextual-laddering interviews and conducting a thematic analysis of the data — in order to better inform decisions when designing "smart," persuasive technology which encourages people to take more frequent coffee breaks while working.

The aim was to explore and understand users’ relationship with coffee and the factors, barriers, attitudes, and motivations towards taking breaks while working. This project was part of a collaborative group project for course titled, "User Experience Evaluation" for my Masters (MSc.) in Interaction Design. I was the group lead for this project.

In modern working environments, people spend too much time at their desk engaging in sedentary behavior which increases the risk of both negative physical and cognitive health consequences.

Although people already utilize a variety of "reminder-based" smart technologies that encourage break-taking (e.g. Apple Watch, Fitbit, set alarms, etc), we wanted to explore other subtle and enjoyable means of persuasive technology that integrate into the "coffee break" experience.

Brief summary of findings

In order for a technological product to be effective in motivating people to get up from their desk and take more frequent breaks from their work, the product should include the following in its design:

Encourage personal autonomy
Allow for customization and personalization
Facilitate social-bonding and connectedness
Promote inclusivity and cater to diverse needs
Be unobtrusive, not evoke negative feelings and emotions
Allow for seamless integration with existing tools and workplace infrastructure

Lastly, social influence (i.e. joining others for a break, seeing others take a break) can be an effective trigger to activate break-taking action.

There is a distinct difference between “taking a break,” which confers rest and relaxation, and “getting a coffee,” which is a transactional experience. Across cultures and societies “Let’s have a coffee” came to mean “Let’s have a conversation,” (Topik, 2009)

When considering the feasibility and implementation of this product in the future, the following must be taken into account:

Management and leadership support for workplace wellness
Suitability in changing workplace contexts and office infrastructure
Product must not be redundant to existing technologies
Financial feasibility of implementation and ROI
Organizational culture and break time regulations
Product suitablity for diverse users with varying needs and limitations

Methodology

At this phase of the research the following steps were taken:

Describe the problem space
Define the research questions
Identify limitations and considerations
Review relevant scientific literature
Conduct semi-structured interviews
Code the qualitative data
Report results and emergent themes
Propose design recommendations
Reflect on research limitations

Describing the problem space

People spend too much time at their desk sitting
Focusing on work for long periods of time leads to decreased productivity
Increased risk of long-term health complications
Contextual barriers and workplace dynamics pose design limitations.
Psychological, social, and organizational factors govern people’s break-taking behaviors

The following elements should be factored in the future design prototype, based on our findings:

Fostering social connection
Relaxation and disconnection
Quality and cost considerations
Autonomy and personalization
Identity, positive self image, and status
Health-conscious behavior
Efficiency, consistency, and reliability
Removing barriers to take breaks from work
Cater to users’ sense of control
Be unobtrusive and not interrupt work flow

Although we cannot always control the multitude of external variables that influence one’s capacity to take a break, we can at least improve the quality of the break by maximizing positive outcomes of the break experience.

Research Questions

RQ1: What motivates people to drink coffee and how do people feel and regularly engage in their coffee-drinking experience? How can a behavioral intervention, such as prompting people to drink coffee via use of technology, increase the likelihood that people take breaks from their work (working from home and in the office)?

RQ2: What are the current barriers for people to take breaks while working and how does this transpire both in the office workplace and working from home (WFH) environment? What factors serve as triggers or motivators for people to take breaks?

Defining the goal behavior

Users should take break for a minimum of 15 minutes whereby they get out of their chair, walk away from their desk or workspace, remain standing or walking through the duration of their break, and do not bring coffee back to their desk.

Identifying limitations

"Breaks” are highly complex and context-dependent
"Breaks" are a very personal experience of habits and rituals
"Good" break experiences should minimize interruptive effects
Breaks should reduce "switching costs" * at all times

* "Switching costs" are the cognitive effort required to re-engage in work activities following a period of disengagement (Pandem et. al, 2016)

Review of scientific literature

By use of nudging, (Thaler & Sunstein, 2009) the aim is to encourage people, in a simple and effective way, to take part in positive behaviors and make better choices with concern to their well-being.

Well-being is a multi-faceted concept (Stokols, 2018). It includes the “physical or mental health of a person or group and the cooperation and support that exists among members of an organization or community.”

Based on medical findings, sitting for extended periods of time increases the risk of early mortality, blood clots, type 2 diabetes, and cancer (Mayor, 2015; Straker et. al, 2014)

The benefit of taking coffee breaks away from one's workspace:

Promotes “healthy” habits that support wellness
Increased movement
Reduced eye strain
Prevention of mental burnout
Increased work engagement

Generally people know that sitting at their desk for extended hours is unhealthy and the experience of doing so is uncomfortable. However, actually disengaging and consciously remembering to take a break from sitting does not happen as easily or as often as one would expect.

Whether or not someone takes a break is influenced by (1) macrostructural forces; (2) personal characteristics; and (3) environmental circumstances such as:

Workplace leadership’s support and encouragement to take breaks
Organizational structure and flexibility to take breaks
External pressure and “unspoken rules” around taking breaks and productivity (Oliver et. al, 2021)
Personally defined break rituals and habitss
Using a break as a “reward” or “treat” for sufficient work output
Possible feelings of guilt or anxiety around taking breaks at work

Reminders are not enough to trigger behavior change in users.

Merely reminding someone to take more breaks is not adequate to override these forces.

However, taking an anticipatory design approach (Zamenopoulos & Alexiou, 2007), we can:

Leverage past output to better predict future decisions
Create more personalized experiences
Eliminate friction upon implementation
Deliver what users want, when they want it

Costs, such as time, energy, and resources, can be reduced by leveraging existing knowledge: Utilizing what is already known from behavioral intervention models rooted in social, behavioral, and organizational psychology, the design is thus more likely to be effective and meet user needs.

Thus, in order to successfully enact a behavioral change, people must have the...

capability
motivation
opportunity

... in order to engage in the goal behavior (Michie et. al, 2011)

There needs to be a trigger to initiate the desired behavior, but it must be met again with motivation and ability whereby all three of these things (trigger, ability, and motivation) must happen at the exact same moment in order to be effective (Fogg, 2009)

To ensure sustained behavioral change, we must understand the following:

User attitudes toward a product
Perceived behavioral control by users (i.e., ability to conduct that behavior),
Subjective norms (i.e. pressure we face from external social influences)
Users' behavioral intentions (readiness to actually perform the behavior)
Context of use to assess the feasibility for implementation
Receptiveness towards the product
How to maximize user enjoyment of and satisfaction

Based on what we know about what makes a “good break,” it should be one that emphasizes “recovery” and promote feelings of relaxation, control, and relatedness (social connection with others) (Bosch, 2018)

Breaks should minimize interruptive effects and not compromise focus via forceful shifting of one’s attention. The ideal “break” as described by Pendam et. al (2016) is one where “employees experience this pause in work as a period of replenishment during which they remain focused and attentive to the work process.

When work resumes, they can operate at a more productive level than before the break.” Breaks should thus act as “pauses” which strike a balance between recharging one’s energy levels while minimizing restart costs to resuming tasks.

Promoting "wellness" via more frequent breaks should itegrate the element of social connectedness. There is compelling evidence that a lack of social ties, lack of connectedness, and low quality and quantity of social relationships are strong determinants of early mortality (Berkman & Syme, 1979; House et. al, 1988)

It is vital not to underestimate the importance of fostering social connection at the workplace and among colleagues whereby peer support can act as a protective factor for stress. People often spend more time with their coworkers on a daily basis than with their families, either in-person pre-pandemic or virtually working from home. (Holt-Lundstad, 2018; Shirom et. al, 2011)

Coffee breaks have been identified as the “utmost important factor for social and personal well-being within an emotional taxing occupation” (Stroebaek, 2013). Designing a product that helps strengthen intrapersonal bonds and promotes social connection is ideal for fostering wellness among users.

Methodology

We employed semi-structured interviews using the contextual laddering method to gather information. The aim of this approach was to gather contextual real-world knowledge about the attitudes, motivations, and values around taking breaks while working and how coffee plays an important role.

Six participants in total were recruited by means of convenience sampling whereby people included in each interview took part on the basis of a former social connection with each researcher. The interviews lasted around one to one-and-a-half hours in duration and were recorded by means of audio recording.

Interview data was collected and transcribed verbatim
The data was then coded in an inductive manner using thematic tagging
All transcripts were read through in their entirety, line by line
Using textual analysis, relevant* pieces of the transcripts were highlighted
Codes were first generated individually by each researcher
Individually generated codes were compared using a Miro board (see image below)
Codes were grouped into main codes based on similarities
Similar code groups were renamed to encompass the appropriate meaning of the code
All data was condensed into code-based groups via Thematic Analysis

* Whether or not something was “relevant” was based on: (1) repetition of words or phrases; (2) content that stood out in terms of offering valuable insights; (3) the participant interviewed stressed importance or emphasis on something in particular; (4) the answers had a strong emotional component (e.g., frustration, confusion, uncertainty, etc.); and (5) whether the content relates to an existing scientific theory or concept.

Results and emergent themes

Based on the interview data, the following eight themes emerged after the codes were sorted and pooled. A few quotes from participants are provided as a means to substantiate the themes.

1. Need for social connection

“I also try to tag along with a coworker so we just catch up or have a break. You still pick favorite coworkers you always talk to. So of the 30 people there are like four or five people you have coffee with.” (Participant #2)
“Most of my colleagues spend time in the coffee corner just making small talk. Just talking about nothing. They enjoy that brain free time where they don’t have to talk about work all the time.” (Participant #6)
“Sometimes alone, sometimes when I really need a break I will ask someone in our room to come to the special floor with me where we have better coffees.” (Participant #3)

2. Relaxation and disconnection

“Sometimes, I enjoy just disconnecting from everyone and having a moment to think and drink my own coffee because it gets overstimulating being around people all the time in my office…“Coffee is like ‘me time’” (Participant #1)
“You’re just like... mediative, you’re just taking a second to reflect a little about what you’re gonna do, and what’s happening. Like that’s kind of it, taking a break from go-go-go. That’s for me the important part.” (Participant #2)
Ideally I would enjoy my rest time without forcefully asking myself to do something…I prefer to be by myself versus someone who I maybe don’t connect with or like. (Participant #6)

3. Quality and cost considerations

“It [the coffee quality and flavor] gets closer to the coffee dispenser big machines that you see in those public hospitals or big offices. That’s I think the worst coffee you can drink. You press a button and that powder turns into a drink.” (Participant #2)
“I would rather spend some money. It’s a lot of money maybe, but for me it’s like a treat. I choose to work in a boring office, so it’s one of the highlights.” (Participant #2)
“I have a filter coffee machine, it’s a super cheap one we got on sale that's been lasting forever which is pretty awesome because it makes good coffee…The coffee machines [at work] have these little paper cups and the coffee is just not very tasty; It's OK and it’s free. So it’s fine. But I’m not really eager to go back for more” (Participant #1)

4. Autonomy and personalization

“The new machine is quite fine in that we can adjust the water amount how strong I like it. I can manipulate it in a way that I like it.” (Participant #6)
I have the sense for different coffees and different tastes, the aroma... I appreciate different flavors of coffee a lot.” (Participant #6)
“[At work] There also aren’t any good alternative options [for coffee choices] either.” (Participant #1)
“I still don’t feel control over what I’m deciding to join [meetings]. It's more expected that I am there and they invite me to everything and me saying, “No” would be very rude.” (Participant #2)

5. Identity, positive, self-image, and status

“I would never go to someone and say let's grab a coffee, someone would have to come and say that to me if you know what I mean. I suppose I don't like rejection if someone says "Nah"” (Participant #5)
“If I’m gone for lunch for an hour or if I’m gone for a coffee for like more than 20 minutes or so. I guess I feel guilt. It’s like I am being paid, but not working so that’s unfair. I should not be paid for standing around.” (Participant #2)
“There's more pressure to stay in your chair and maybe seem like you're working and it's not really looked upon highly if you're taking a lot of breaks and standing up and getting away from your desk.” (Participant #1)
“You have to prove that they [the company] are worth their money to keep you because I work part-time as a mother.” (Participant #6)

6. Health conscious behavior

“On my break now that the weather is good, I sometimes go for a walk in a park” (Participant #5)
“I have a watch that keeps telling me to walk and move... It’s more like the point of others taking a break, then you are more reminded that you should take a break. Our team is actually quite open that we sit a lot. So we ensure that we are still moving every day...We all do it [daily exercises] together like go on a walk if the weather is nice.” (Participant #6)
“No sugar.. and yes with milk, I prefer lactose-free or vegan.” (Participant #3)

7. Efficiency, consistency, reliability

“For me nowadays, it’s more about efficiency making coffee as quickly as possible in the morning. I’d just rather get my cup, pour a little milk, sit down and just drink my coffee without all the prep that goes into it.” (Participant #1)
“You know, what you’re gonna get; It’s gonna be coffee so it’s not a big or expensive risk.” (Participant #1)
“I can’t wait half an hour. It’s like 40 minutes of my break. It’s like too much for work.” (Participant #2)

8. Barriers to take breaks from work

“If it’s really busy, I can’t even find the time to take breaks as it feels someone always needs something from me or something needs to be done.” (Participant #1)
“I wait in line [at work café], sometimes the lines are too long, so I look and then I walk back because it’s just too long of a wait. I can’t wait half an hour. It’s like 40 minutes of my break. It’s like too much for work.” (Participant #2)
“My day is packed with meetings now because it’s remote. Working from home is more intense in that you’re always behind your computer.” (Participant #2)

Design Recommendations

When moving on to the following stages of the design process, the following aspects are to be considered based on our findings:

Autonomy - People should have the control and capacity to determine their own break experience. That said, people should be free to take breaks at times of their choosing, determine individually what they will do during such breaks, and whom they will or will not be spending their break with.

Customization - People should have control over the entire experience in order to make the experience as personalized as possible. Customization can materialize via adjustable settings and substantial options and choices within the product in order to meet both the hedonic and pragmatic needs of individual users.

Social bonding and connectedness - The overall goal of the product should be to facilitate experiences of social connection with others in order to motivate and encourage users to take breaks. The health benefits of social connection combined with the physical benefits of taking a break contribute to holistic feelings of wellness among users.

Inclusivity - Design should cater to a wide range of people with a diversity of needs. In this, the product should take into account accessibility considerations as well as catering to a spectrum of use contexts therefore allowing everyone to participate in the product’s use equally.

Unobtrusive design and interaction - Both in the physical and practical aspects, the design should sufficiently cater to the spatial, contextual, and psychological needs and expectations of users. In that it should not be disruptive, interrupt the natural flow of one’s work and productivity, or promote negative feelings among users (e.g., uncertainty, anxiety, guilt, annoyance, etc.)

Integration with existing tools - For example, how can the design be merged into current programs or extensions used in the workplace for communication. (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Slack, Chrome, etc)

Conclusion

Answers to the Research Questions

RQ1: What motivates people to drink coffee and how do people feel and regularly engage in their coffee-drinking experience?

Taste, flavor, and customization of options per beverage plays a critical role in one’s enjoyment and overall satisfaction. Likewise, people enjoy low cost paired with high quality as a determinant of his or her choice or beverage

Social cues such as being invited for coffee, inviting others, or seeing other people take a coffee break is a strong motivator for people to take a break themselves

One’s coffee ritual is a very personal experience which relies on self-defined “break periods.” These beak periods are contingent upon people’s daily routine and how they value coffee (e.g., reward for sufficient work output, a treat as a means of pleasure, mediator for social connection, stimulant as a drug, etc.)

People elicit strong feelings of relaxation and revival after drinking coffee, on the other hand people value the feelings of disconnection and escapism when choosing to drink coffee alone.

Prompts to drink coffee and take breaks are only effective if the social, behavioral, and environmental circumstances permit. People must have the capability (people are either able / skilled to make or access coffee in an easy and accessible manner), sufficient motivation (the coffee and social experience is worthwhile to me), and opportunity (I am able to go get a coffee given there are no external barriers or influences preventing me from doing so).

Intrinsically valuing health-conscious behavior and habits plays an important role in people’s receptiveness and motivation to take active breaks

Users should have full control and autonomy over when they take breaks, how they take them, and how they would like to be notified to take breaks via use of technology. Notifications should not be annoying, intrusive, or disruptive to work flow.

Lack of time and sufficient opportunities to take breaks due to the hectic nature of one’s work schedule and workload are huge barriers to leaving one’s desk. Especially in the work from home situation, people’s schedules are overloaded with back-to-back meetings which reduces windows of opportunity for breaks to very small margins of time

External managerial forces and regulations prevent people from having autonomy over when their breaktimes are and how long they can be
When one does have the time to take a break environmental limitations such as long lines at the coffee stand, lack of sufficient space to take breaks, lack of privacy, and crowded break spaces are deterrents for people to take breaks as well as not bring their coffee back to their desk

There is also a struggle to preserve one’s sense of professional identity by not appearing that they are compromising productivity, slacking, or being lazy by taking too generous of a break

On a cognitive level, hyperfocus and flow during one’s productive periods can leave people to forget to take a break as they are so immersed in what they are doing. This immersion is not necessarily negative as people feel a sense of “momentum” and “accomplishment” after pushing through certain tasks until completion