They were Tested, and now Companies are Using Standing Desk

Using a standing desk is more than a trend, hype or the latest bandwagon. It has now become the norm, the next big thing that is here to stay. The demand is great for the new wave of health-conscious workers and the employer's solution to enhance creativity with increased employee’s productivity and group performance. Recently, collaborative design team and receptive business owners agreed on the health benefits of using standing desks. This understanding leads to a new and updated office design.

There will be a change and inclusion of standing desk in the office, mandatory or optional, as requested by employees. Depending on the budget, companies can totally ditch the chairs or keep it, and convert their cubicles to sit to stand workstations. The point is to introduce standing desks and allow employees to have a choice. But it is expected that with the introduction of standing desks, there will be an up in health awareness and employee’s productivity.

Facebook is one of the social companies that has taken the plunge and has introduced standing desks to their employees. Employees took the initiative to request standing desks and the number immediately kept rising. An official says that numbers went from five to eight in a week with a total of 200 - 250 desks distributed in the company of at least 2,000 employees. Although it is noted that when the web got viral about the health risk of a sedentary lifestyle, there was an uprise in the demand for standing desk or standing desk converter.

Greg Hoy, a design recruiter, requested a standing desk few months after joining Facebook. He noticed that he feels more active and performs better in work-related tasks. He said “I feel active all day long.” and he no longer experiences a drooping posture in the afternoon. Another employee Tiffani Jones Brown, a content strategist, also requested the standing desk months after joining Facebook. She said that a standing desk will help her keep a high energy level when working.

Jordan Newman, a spokesperson for Google shared that "the company distributed standing desks as part of their health wellness program and a good number of many employees are requesting for standing desks". Although when he was asked how many, he mentioned he did now know the exact number of users of standing desks. Moreover, FF Venture Capital, a firm that caters to technology companies by providing funds, found that standing makes their employees more creative and active in the sharing of ideas. This positive change in employees pushes the firm to introduce more standing desks. They could even introduce standing meetings now that they have furnished standing desk in their meeting