How Can a Height-Adjustable Desk Boost Productivity?
Work productivity can have ups and downs for us all, but some productivity slumps can feel more significant than others. With stressful to do lists or ongoing projects, staying focused whilst also maintaining physical health and mental wellbeing is an important but tricky balance to strike. If you've been struggling with your productivity and work wellbeing lately, a height-adjustable desk might make all the difference. Offering optimised posture support and with the flexibility to move and get a different view of your workday, height-adjustable desks are a game changer in working outlook and personal wellbeing.
We know that there are considerable health consequences from prolonged sedentary behaviour – especially for those of us who work desk-based jobs or are seated for long periods of the day. Those that spend the majority of the day sitting are unfortunately much more likely to develop cancers, cardiovascular diseases, or type 2 diabetes – among other chronic and life altering conditions.
The link between these illnesses and sedentary living was first discovered in the 1950's and research and understanding of these issues has become more in-depth and nuanced since. Understanding of the threats of sedentary living on physical and mental health is better now than it has ever been before, and the role of ergonomic furniture and height-adjustable desks in supporting worker health is becoming more a mainstay in healthy workplace practices.
Height adjustable desks help prevent poor posture issues and painful back problems, minimising aches, strains, and body tension, optimising performance and concentration and helping you maintain motivation throughout the day. Let's explore some of the main ways a height-adjustable desk can support your wellbeing and boost work productivity.
The Science of Standing
A research study by the British Medical Journal involving 146 NHS staff found that remarkable benefits of standing for health. Just over half of the staff involved swapped their standard office desks for flexible height-adjustable desks. The study found that, even with no other life variables changing, those volunteers who switched to a height-adjustable desk stated an improved engagement in their work, better productivity and concentration, and fewer aches, strains, or musculoskeletal problems.
In fact, the study reported that office workers spend a massive 70% to 85% of their time at work seated. This is a considerable threat to anyone's wellbeing, and good health is essential in sustaining a good work output, maintaining efficiency, and keeping healthy and happy. Alongside the self-reported benefits of height-adjustable desks, they have been found to boost efficiency and improve workplace productivity by at least 10%!
Minimising Chronic Disease Threat
The minimisation of chronic disease threat brought about by height-adjustable desks can lead to a sustained boost of workplace productivity in many ways. Sedentary living boosts risks of heart disease and diabetes, and the movement encouraged by moving to a height-adjustable desk will allow you to move more freely, increase mobility and improve circulation.
Height-adjustable desks allow maintenance of a healthy spine and reduction in upper back, shoulder, and neck discomfort. 65% of people reported height adjustable workstations positively impacted their health both inside and outside of the workplace. These steps away from sedentary working throughout the day help minimise your risk of chronic disease, letting you maintain wellness and energy and boost your workplace productivity consistently.
Height-Adjustable Desks Improve Mental Activity
There are so many situations in a working day where fresh focus is needed or important decisions need to be agreed upon quickly. Keeping the mind primed and prepared for any eventuality makes for the best approach to workplace productivity.
A scientific study has found that when height-adjustable desks were introduced into a classroom setting, students showed statistically significant improvements in focus, memory, and executive function – meaning they were in prime workplace productivity mode. Increased blood flow to the brain was also suggested in this study due to improved circulation from standing periods, meaning height-adjustable desks are a great way to improve mental activity and boost workplace productivity.
If you're spending long days at your desk, exploring height-adjustable desks is essential to keeping your project looks fresh and focused.
Collaboration Thrives With Height-Adjustable Desks
Studies have also found a huge increase in communication and collaborative engagement when standing compared to this sitting – this is one reason why your standing or walking meetings may be leading to better decisions! During standing meetings, the voice is fuller and more dynamic, discussions more convincing, and meeting performance or action follow through is improved. Telephone calls also see similar improvements when the caller is standing rather than sitting.
Increased periods of standing and movement while working show a link towards improved colleague and customer interaction and engagement. Creating a more dynamic, focused, and collaborative working environment is a confirmed way of boosting productivity and improving wellbeing. If you're keen to explore new routes of performance – take a look at height-adjustable desks today.
