Improving employees’ health is the aim of many businesses. Height adjustable desks can be a great tool to achieve this goal, but before understanding why, let’s look at how the office environment has changed over the years.
Civilization is wonderful. It has improved human life expectancy, living conditions, and overall health with a gradual upward trend in all walks of life. And yet it has also brought about its own fair share of issues that our more primitive ancestors never had to deal with.
Back, neck, and spinal injuries are some of the most common complaints these days from office workers. They might no longer need to worry about dangerous predators while hunting as their forebears did but they have far more health issues relating to their posture.
Most office workers admit to slouching or sitting slumped forward while working at a desk. It’s a natural response to sitting for hours in the same position. A position that feels comfortable however might not always be the healthiest for your body.
Sitting slumped or stooped forward compresses your vertebrae and puts undue stress on them over time which can exacerbate existing conditions such as slipped disc. Similarly, sitting slouched down puts unnecessary stress on the part of your back still in contact with the chair. Long hours in these positions can worsen workers with existing conditions or even injure otherwise healthy ones.
Part of the response to this has been new designs of chairs built with ergonomic support in mind to properly support the user’s back and spine. They can also be raised and lowered to adjust their height from the ground. These are only a half measure though. The real game changer is the wider introduction of height adjustable desks to the workplace.
Height adjustable desks are also known as sit stand desks as well as by other names. They are similar to ergonomic office chairs, as their name suggests, in that their height can easily be adjusted to raise or lower their distance from the ground.
Height Adjustable Desks Gives Employees More Control Over Their Working Environment
They have become increasingly popular in both the US and Europe as studies link them to improved productivity and reduced injury in the workplace. Many users enjoy the freedom they offer as they can adjust the desk to a standing or sitting position with a minimum of fuss. Workers find that using the desk in the standing configuration can assist with problem solving and thinking as well as giving them the chance to move about more and improve their posture. Users feel less lethargic while standing.
The main attraction then of course is that if a worker feels tired or has stood for a long time, then it is only another quick adjustment to bring the desk down to a sitting mode and use it with a chair.
Height adjustable desks aren’t only restricted to a static standing or sitting configuration. They can be adjusted to suit workers of varying heights as well as to accommodate those who might have an existing disability or back condition.
A common complaint in the modern workplace is that workers are forced to lean forward to view screens properly. This prolonged eye and neck strain can be just as damaging as poor posture or inadequate back support. Height adjustable decks allow the user to raise the desk to their chosen height so the screen is placed at a comfortable position for them.
Check out our range of height adjustable desks for a look at what we have on offer. Embrace a crucial part of the modern workplace.