As the UK sees a rise in demand for Sit-stand workstations, KI and Officeworks have created a flyer, and a video guide to help users best adjust their new sit-stand furniture.
Following in the footsteps of the Scandinavian countries, research shows that sit-stand workstations and meeting tables can improve productivity and wellbeing, but without proper guidance these potential benefits could be overshadowed by new risks arising from poor posture and excessive standing.
Tim Hanwell, Osteopath and Co-founder of office design and ergonomics consultancy Officeworks said, "alternating between a sitting and standing position is a personal choice, but changing every 20-30 minutes is a good idea. With the introduction of sit-stand desks, I have witnessed dramatic improvements to the health and wellbeing of a number of my patients. But it is essential to use these workstations appropriately in order to realise their potential benefits, rather than creating new risks in the office environment."
Just as sitting has been declared 'the new smoking' by some, counterclaims also state that excessive standing can compromise health and wellbeing, too. The real benefits of sit-stand is not just in mitigating the long term side-effects of prolonged episodes of sitting but to facilitate regular movement.
Solutions such as software packages integrated with electronic sit-stand desks in K I's Work2 SitStand collection can be used to remind users when to make the change and monitor performance. The software can also be programmed with a user's ideal sitting and standing height, eliminating the risk of incorrect adjustments when switching from one position to another. This is particularly advantageous for people in flexible workspaces who can carry their pre-programmed height memories with their laptops to new workstations each day.
Watch the new video here.