I must admit that I have never written about feet before for Green Lodging News, but I should have. Hoteliers, housekeepers, restaurant workers, etc. spend a lot of time on their feet and deserve the best protection there. According to a new report by ARRIS Composites, the average American worker spends 56 percent of the day standing or walking. ARRIS Composites surveyed more than 1,000 workers for its recent survey. The purpose of the survey: to learn more about what American professionals have to say about what they wear on their feet. The survey focused on those folks who tend to spend a lot of time on their feet. Here is a top 10 list of the workers who spend the most time on their feet:
1. Dishwashers, 98.9 percent of their time on their feet.
2. Restaurant cooks, 98.1 percent.
3. Waiters and waitresses, 97.4 percent.
4. Food preparation and serving related occupations, 97.2 percent.
5. Cashiers, 94.9 percent.
6. Retail, 86.9 percent.
7. Industrial machinery mechanics, 84.4 percent.
8. Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations, 79.5 percent.
9. Hotel, motel and resort desk clerks, 70.9 percent.
10. Pharmacists, 70.4 percent.
I highly recommend you subsidize the purchase of good footwear for your workers. According to the survey, 26 percent regret choosing a job where they stand or walk a lot. Twenty-seven percent are considering switching careers because of the physical toll. Nineteen percent say their feet always hurt after leaving work. With the difficulty the hotel and restaurant industries are having holding onto workers, do you really want to give them one more good reason to leave? Fifty percent of those surveyed said specialty shoes have helped. Perhaps the other 50 percent have yet to buy specialty shoes? To combat discomfort, 32 percent of workers add orthotics or other inserts to their work shoes. A great idea.
When asked if workers would be interested in trying something such as “super shoes” for everyday use, an overwhelming 83 percent said yes.
Click here for more details on the survey.
