Why a Sit-to-Stand Desk May Become Common in the Workplace
With so many jobs still in existence that require sitting for long hours, just how effective is it bringing in a standing desk to alleviate that problem? While the benefits of standing are going to be better than sitting for long hours, Forbes did a study last year on the advantages and disadvantages of standing desks. Their study found that for those who work long hours, having only a standing desk was overly fatiguing and could potentially cause as much back and leg strain as sitting.
In that regard, what’s the compromise between the world of sitting and standing while working in an office? That answer may be sit-to-stand desks that are suddenly rising out from being just a novelty. What makes these perhaps the most important ergonomic tools to emerge for offices of the 21st century?
Increased Productivity
With ergonomic experts saying a variety of sitting and standing can create better productivity, it’s a puzzle why sit-to-stand desks haven’t caught on earlier. It’s perhaps because they look a little different from the standard office design that corporate heads are used to. You can see how different they look by looking at one of the leading manufacturers of sit-to-stand desks: Herman Miller.
The chairs associated with them look overly futuristic, and the adjustable desks look considerably different from any other standard desk. It may explain why they haven’t yet become ubiquitous. Regardless, that may soon end when you see the additional benefits of what they can do in finally providing true comfort for every office employee.
Using a Sit-to-Stand Desk During a Typical Day
As seen on the Herman Miller site, those with particular back injuries simply need to have one of these desks in order to cope well in their jobs. With an adjustable desk, one can start the day off answering emails in an ergonomic chair that’s designed to keep the back straight. This is the best time of the day to sit when the most substantial work can be done.
By late morning, an employee may be getting on the phone for business calls. That’s where standing up can become important in helping keep concentration while on the phone. Most sit-to-stand desks make it easy to raise the desk. Thanks to lightweight technology like flat-screen computer monitors, adjustments won’t become a problem.
If an employee wears a headset, he or she can move around in his cubicle while taking business calls. The Herman Miller site says this helps keep eye contact with other employees walking by for a better sense of communication.
By the end of the day, and one’s feet probably tiring, sitting down again to wrap up work projects gives the perfect variety needed to avoid standing injuries. This prevention of employees staying in a fixed position makes work all the more enjoyable rather than drudgery. And should sit-to-stand desks become mainstream, office jobs may have a different outlook from what they’ve had. We may finally see the removal of the developed stigma where sitting in an office cubicle conjures dread.
