If You Want A Standing Desk, Show Your Boss This Study

Anyone who does a 9 to 5 in an office will know the strain all-day desk work can have - not just on your back, but on your mental state as well. Even 7am gym shifts aren't enough to make up for the eight hours sat on your butt all day.

For several years now, people have contended over a solution to this issue, with many citing standing desks as a way to ensure employees remain happy and healthy throughout the day.

NBC

If you're having a hard time convincing your boss to invest in an office full of new desks, you might want to show them this recent study by the University of Leicester which shows that sit-stand desks will not only benefit the worker, but will improve their productivity too.

In other words, bosses will get more bang for their buck.

According to the research published in the British Medical Journal, the study discovered that 43 percent of employees who worked at standing desks instead of the usual set-up reported a marked improvement in their performance over the period of a year, while 52 percent felt more engaged.

The study looked at 146 individuals who worked in office positions at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in the UK - 69 cracked on with their usual routine, while 76 were provided with sit-stand desks and were given training to set goals for standing time.

Getty

The amount of time participants were sitting and standing at work was monitored at regular intervals over the course of the year-long study. At the start, everyone sat for an average of 9.7 hours per day, including time spent at home. By the end of it, they sat for 82 fewer minutes.

Which we can all probably agree is a good thing - after all, the study follows last year's report by Edinburgh University that worryingly showed some office workers are spending more time sat down than pensioners, adding that the population is 'worryingly sedentary' which is causing a whole host of health issues.

If the new research is anything to go by, sit-stand desks might be a good option to get people off their butts and burning more calories throughout the day. Now it's up to you to convince your boss to invest... good luck.

Topics: UK News, Interesting

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Daisy is a UK-based freelance journalist with too many opinions. She loves everything film and music-related and has a track record writing for Little White Lies, BWRC, and Film Daily. Contact her at [email protected]