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Greenway Experiment Lets Employees 'Be An Outsider At Work'

BOSTON (CBS) - We all look forward to the summer, the nice weather and everything you can do outdoors, and then we end up spending most of our time at work, indoors.

Well, there is an experiment going on in Boston dedicated to changing that. It's called "Be An Outsider at Work," and the people we met say it's the way to go.

They worked at cycle desks, kept the email flowing on laptops, and planned next steps on a white board, all outside, on the Greenway. It's a unique space set up by L.L. Bean and a coworking company called Industrious.

"It's great to be outside anytime, and the biggest barrier to people getting outside seems to be work. And we wanted to show people that that doesn't have to be a barrier," says Eric C. Smith, from LL Bean.

The message is, take your work outdoors. "We really don't get a lot of outside time working in an office 9 to 5, so I think it's a really cool experience to come out here, work in a group setting outside and communicate with each other," says Juliana Demoraes who tried it out.

This is a temporary installation meant to get people to explore the possibility. "I think it's a healthy environment, and it's fun and it's a great spin on summer in the office," adds Casey Traverse as she worked outdoors.

You don't need a formal setup to do it. There are plenty of parks and benches where you can spend a little bit of your day, and there just might be some work benefits. "I think it would increase productivity because it makes me happier to work outside," says Paris Hodges as she works at a cycle desk.

Of course, taking your job outdoors isn't a full time possibility. "I would love to do this on a regular basis. Unfortunately Boston has winter," says Meghan Orencole.

But right now, it's gorgeous. "I know a lot of people who work in offices don't get to enjoy the area they work in. So to be able to be outside today, on such a beautiful day, it's a great experience," says Max Simons.

The installation will be on the Greenway again Thursday if you'd like to take a look.

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