Feb 6, 2014

The Office Olympics

Did you know the Olympic Games begin on Friday? No, the other one. You know, the one where they do the sweeping on an ice rink. So, with us office workers always being told we’re one stage away from the CGI humans from Wall-E, why not bring a little bit of the Sochi spirit into your workplace? Organise your very own Winter Olympics!

Of course, if you discount the several million litres of water that’ve been unleashed upon us, we’ve hardly had a traditional winter. However, the great thing about an office is you’re not reliant upon the snow for all sorts of sporting fun.

For a bit of inspiration we’ve found some examples of enterprising workplaces pursuing sporting glory (it goes without saying that most of the following should not be attempted at home, or in the office, or anywhere really for that matter).

Parkour

Parkour, which lies at the pinnacle of athletic buffoonery, is a sport for those who look at a wall and see a floor. Parkourists run, jump, tumble and roll their way from A to B; they can traverse entire cities across rooftops and up drainpipes when walking is often safer, faster and indeed more convenient. Here Andy Dwyer from the Office (US) brings parkour into the workplace. The results are, at best, mixed.

Hurdling

Staunch defenders of the open plan office will point to a whole number of reasons why it’s the best option for a modern workplace: They can be light, open, collaborative spaces where ideas bounce around like the appalling banter. However, traditional office cubicles still retain their trump card: They make a much better hurdle course.

Rowing

When it comes to rowing, us Brits certainly do rule the waves. However, the sport has always been the domain of finely-tuned athletes, operating at the very peak of physical condition. This is no longer the case. As the following clip demonstrates, anyone with a wheelie chair, an absent manager and nothing to do on a Friday afternoon can give it a go.

Cycling

A survey last year found increasing numbers of people are cycling into work. It’s easy to see why: Cycling, like no other sport, offers participants the opportunity to wear otherwise-unacceptable levels of lycra and indulge in a perilous commute. Here Gareth, from the UK Office this time, demonstrates just some of the stylish benefits of cycling to work.

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