Large stickers have been placed on the elevators and the floors, with slogans such as ‘Burn calories not electricity’ and ‘Taking the stairs is often faster than the elevator’. These encouragements, coupled with the positive input from improvisation actress and coach Corrie den Draaijer, will stimulate students today and tomorrow to take the stairs for any classes held on the building’s first three floors up.

The stairwell has been fitted with a smart counter that keeps track of how many students accept the challenge. A screen at the entrance shows the score, and today and tomorrow, every hundredth stair-walking student will receive a mug printed with the text ‘That’s the way we like it’, as well as a beverage token.

Aiming for permanent behavioural changes

RBS operations manager Wilkin van Erp explains that elevator traffic jams are an issue that plague multiple HR locations. ‘There are also long waiting lines for the elevator banks at the Museumplein and Academieplein locations. Class scheduling means that there are peak hours when lots and lots of students are waiting to go up.’

The Posthumalaan location has nine floors above the ground level. ‘Our aim is to mostly encourage students who have classes on the first three floors up to start taking the stairs. Encouraging that section of the student body away from the elevators will in particular benefit the flow toward the classrooms, and will allow for long-term changes in behaviour.’

Text & Image: Asli Kösker