Standing desks are a great way to alleviate back pain among employees and increase workplace productivity. It makes sense that as the current batches of desks reach the end of their lifecycle and need replacing, they give way to a new generation of height-adjustable desks. These desks can make a real difference to the health and well-being of employees who use them. Replacing the current desks in a series of batches gives the management tier a chance to witness the increased productivity among the teams that already have them, compared to those who are awaiting their turn for replacements.
If you are an employee who wants to convince your employers of the benefits of standing desks, the best starting point is the Human Resources department. Make the case that they are far better from an employee health and wellbeing standpoint because standing up for prolonged periods of time can increase blood flow and general fitness levels.
Factors That Can Influence Standing Desk Implementation
There are several criteria that businesses will take into account before deciding on something that has potential cost implications like this change. We take a closer look at some of these below.
Cost of Standing Desks
One of the primary factors in any decision that affects a business is the cost involved, and some height-adjustable desks can be pretty expensive when compared to normal office desks. Investigating the potential costs in advance can give a better idea of how big an ask this is in the current economic climate.
Larger corporations may be better placed than smaller businesses when it comes to ordering substantial quantities of standing desks. Many companies selling these products will consider offering a discount on the per unit cost when there is potentially a large order to be had. Investigating the potential costs directly with companies who may be able to offer what you are looking for is a sensible step in the right direction, and asking for price quotes based on different quantities of height-adjustable desks doesn't commit the company to buy them.
Much of the decision will likely come down to financial considerations, and this will include things like disposal of the previous desks that were used and how easily this can be accomplished. It may be that they can be distributed to local charities and community organisations at little cost, and this would generate some good PR locally for the company. It is possible that they could be sold to other businesses, provided they are still in sufficient condition.
Proper Analysis of the Benefits
The reason that standing desks aren't the norm in the workplace yet is in large part due to the fact that Human Resources departments are unaware of the full scope of the benefits that they represent. There are widely reported improvements in health and productivity when adjustable height desks are used in the workplace. It has even been mooted that collaboration is easier to initiate as it feels less like interrupting someone when they are already standing.
The benefits in terms of health to the employees can be quite significant, with the act of standing for even a few hours per day making a real difference to core muscle strength and posture-related back pain. The results for the business are no less impressive than they are for the employees concerned, as virtually freed from back pain and not having that to act as a distraction, employees are much more able to accomplish everything that they need to do during their working day.
Placing Value on Employee Relationships
One of the main arguments in favour of buying height-adjustable desks is that it demonstrates that there is a commitment to employee well-being and happiness in the workplace. One of the main factors at play in employee retention is whether or not they feel that their employer values them and wants to treat them as well as they possibly can. Paying for desks that help them to achieve a more comfortable and healthy working position is one of the clearest ways of showing that employees are valued and cherished at an organisation.
It is a difficult time for many employers as they are being asked to provide substantial pay rises to help employees cope with a cost of living crisis and rampant inflation in food and energy prices. This is something that is not always possible for companies to do, as they are often not making the extra 10% per year in profit that would allow them to absorb this cost. Investing in employee comfort in this way can cost a lot less than paying for that level of pay rise across the board and will still show that the welfare of the employees is cared for and valued at your company.
