We now have even more arguments on why you or your employer should invest in a standing desk for you.
‘Stand up to work’ study (Icahn School of Medicine) finds evidence to support statements of increased productivity, concentration, and health of height-adjustable workstations.
βWhat makes this study different from any other standing-desk studyβwhich is also what made it worthy of peer review and publicationβis the combination of its long duration and its inclusion of complementary qualitative data,β says lead researcher Dr. Elizabeth Garland, associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. βMost studies conclude after just a few months. Ours lasted a full year. This allowed us to assess both the objective and subjective health impacts of standing-desk usage, from perceived stress and wellbeing to measurable changes in sedentary behavior.β
Some of the Key Findings of the Standing Desk Benefit Research are (6):
Helps Reducing Sitting (17% Reduction)
Adjustable Work Stations (Standing Desks) reduce the time that people spend sitting, this behavior is somewhat sustained over time.
Helps in Feeling Better (47% of participants)
Participants that received Adjustable Work Stations (AWS) reported a significant reduction in the upper back, shoulder, neck discomfort.
Ease of Habit Building (88% Satisfaction)
Participants with Adjustable Work Stations (AWS) reported they felt that standing was a convenient and easy to do task after 12 months of study.
Increased Productivity (65% of participants)
Participants with height-adjustable desks reported higher productivity, concentration ability after one year of the study. Also, they describe themselves as more active, refreshed, awake and energetic after having switched to standing desks.
Improvements outside Work (65% of participants)
Participants consider that having added a standing desk to their workday has positively impacted their health outside the workspace.
Improvements in Social & Mental Health (65% of participants)
An analysis of social and mental health outcomes after the three-month follow-up found a positive association between workday sitting and job satisfaction among men. Among women, reductions in workday sitting correlated with better coworker communication. Employees less than 30 years old had associations between reductions in weekday sitting and better coworker communication and improved work efficiency. These relationships were not statistically significant. Future studies should assess the long-term benefits of AWS and mental health outcomes.
“The driving force for any organization is its people. An increase in productivity, feeling better, or simply reducing sitting can have a large impact on an organization. We are extremely happy to be informed about this study, as it increases the legitimacy of our products, recommendations, and purpose as a business to continue promoting this product category.” Says Carlos Virreira, from Fitnest Europe.
Vitality is an important area of research and focuses for Fitnest Europe, part of this new focus will include the creation of studies, whitepapers, and blogs about the topic.
If you are thinking of improving the vitality of your workspace, consider:
- Design areas that give people the choice for controlling the level of sensory stimulation around them (think of offering quiet work-places, socially driven work areas, total darkness or brightness).
- Provide easily adjustable furniture, such as adjustable chairs, saddles, standing desks for working, meetings, and eating. Promote movement around the day.
- Include healthy food choices for your work environment, bring nature into the office by giving daylight, promote the use of bicycles to come to work, etc.
Focusing on physical wellbeing is key for employee vitality. It is a goal that, if pursued, can be achievable by sourcing equipment that can support it, as well as the necessary mindset to make it a priority.
Interested in reading full study? You can find it here: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJWHM-10-2017-0078/full/html