Most people spend an average of 8-9 hours each day sitting at a desk. However, this can prove harmful to your mental and physical health.
In fact, a study found that prolonged sitting plays a role in all-cause death. Participants who sat for more than 11 hours a day were 40% more likely to die within three years than those who sat for four hours a day.
No wonder more companies are making the shift to standing desks to improve well-being in the workplace. If you are ready to make the upgrade to standing desks, then this blog post is for you. It outlines 7 tips for picking standing desks for your business.
1. Choose the Right Type of Standing Desk
Standing desks come in different types to satisfy the needs of a variety of users. Depending on your budget and other factors, you might want to consider each of the options below.
Standing Desk Converter
This unobtrusive piece of hardware clamps onto an existing desk, allowing the ability to stand during the workday. You simply place your monitor and keyboard on the top and lower tiers respectively and you’re good to go. This is a valuable choice for offices that already have built-in desks and limited available space for additional furniture.
Dedicated Sit-Stand Desk
This functions as a regular desk and has room for your monitor, keyboard, mouse, laptop, books, and even a coffee cup or water bottle. Most standing desk providers incorporate a height adjustment mechanism. This allows you to adjust the desk from a sitting to a standing position and vice versa.
Portable Standing Desk and Carts
A portable standing desk is ideal for employees who need to move around during the day at work. It is perfect for teachers moving around the classroom, mechanics moving around the workshop, or when you need to move between rooms with your laptop.
2. Choose the Right Size
Standing desks come in different sizes ranging from compact to executive. As such, it’s important to determine what size you need before you start shopping around. The size of your office will help you determine how large of a desk will fit within the space. You should also consider where you’ll want your arms to fall when standing and a comfortable place for your eyes to fall on the monitor(s).
Your setup and the type of work you’ll be doing may also affect how large your standing desk should be. For instance, most standing desks aren’t suitable for a laptop-only setup because they consist of two parts – an upper level for the monitor and a lower tier for the keyboard.
On the other hand, an electric sit-stand desk with a monitor arm is perfect for someone who uses monitors that adjust.
3. Consider the Material
Laminate standing desks are the most affordable, making them perfect for businesses with a limited budget. They are ideal for offices with high-foot traffic. This is because laminate is easier to clean and maintain. In addition, it doesn’t dent or scratch easily.
If you love the look of wood but don’t want the high cost of real wood, consider wood veneer standing desks. Wood veneer is made from some form of particular board and features a thin layer of real wood on top. While wood veneer desks provide the rich look most businesses crave, cleaning and maintaining them is tricky.
While difficult to find, solid-wood standing desks are the best quality option. They are made of solid wood, making them incredibly heavy and expensive.
4. Height Adjustability for Different Users
It’s worth noting that there are fixed-height and adjustable desk solutions. While seemingly convenient, fixed desks are less versatile and don’t allow one to adjust between sitting and standing throughout the workday.
Remember, sitting all day can be just as harmful to your health as standing for prolonged periods. Invest in an ergonomic office desk that allows you to transition often.
When shopping for height-adjustable desks, make sure that the height range is appropriate for the intended user. Consider desks with a height range of 22.6” to 48.7” as this accommodates 90% of the popular. It will also come in handy in a shared office where multiple people may use the same desk. This useful guide has more tips on how to calculate the ideal height range.
5. Lift and Weight Capacity
What do you place on your books? Do you keep boxes of files or stacks of books? The lift and weight capacity is an important aspect of picking standing desks, especially if you tend to load yours up.
If you use a laptop-only setup, chances are won’t need a desk that can hold 100 pounds. However, you should swing for one with a higher capacity if you need something that can manage multiple full-size monitors, a laptop, and research books. Lower-end capacities average 50 pounds, while some standing desks can hold as much as 700 pounds.
6. Budget
Comparing desk prices is a must when shopping for standing desks. Some of the factors that will affect the price of your desk include material, size, brand name, motorization, ease of installation, and extra features like USB ports.
Picking standing desks with electric features will generally cost more than manual desks. Similarly, converters are cheaper than dedicated sit-stand desks. Shipping, installation, and customization may drive up the cost of your desk.
Picking Standing Desks Has Never Been This Easy
You will only get the comfort and health benefits of standing desks if it is ergonomic. Make sure the height is at your standing elbow height. The monitor or laptop screen should be at eye level. If it is a 17-inch monitor, position it as 17 inches from your face. Make sure you tilt the screen 20-degrees
You’ll want to avoid tilting your wrists up and back. Maintaining neutral wrists with the hands at or below elbow level while typing or using the mouse will be more comfortable. Last but not least, wear supportive shoes.
With all of these tips for picking standing desks and your specific needs in mind, you’ll be able to upgrade your workstation in no time. Read more insightful content from our blog.
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