As an organization that aims to improve employee health and well-being, Ergotron, Inc. actively engages in research to recognize the impacts of sedentary computer work and educate others on creating workplace cultures of health and movement. Supporting this corporate mission, the company has released findings from its Workplace Movement Assessment, an internal survey of more than 1,000 employees, spanning six divisions and more than 40 locations of Nortek—Ergotron’s former publicly traded parent company—to better understand the employee experience with traditional and movement-friendly workstations.
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According to the findings, 80% of employees equipped with a sit-stand workstation and who are using their computer for 75% to 100% of their work—therefore at the highest risk for sitting disease—reduced workday sitting by at least 1 hour, and 31% of the same population reduced sitting by 4 hours or more.
Respondents represented varying degrees of sit-stand adoption and leadership support. The broad mix provided greater insights around the ability of sit-stand interventions to reduce sedentary behavior in the workplace, as well as the significant differences in movement and perceived health and wellness between those using sit-only desks versus sit-stand workstations.
“Mounting research indicates the importance of reducing sitting time, and our assessment reaffirms that access to sit-stand workstations is a successful means of getting people standing and moving,” said Betsey Banker, CWWS, CWWPM, wellness manager at Ergotron—in a press release of the findings. “Not only that, it appears that embracing a sit-stand work routine can have a positive impact on exercise and other leisure time activities, an area that hasn’t been as widely studied. The results of this survey give employers and wellness professionals more data to build their own business case for adopting sit-stand desks.”
While this research presents a wide range of insights, Ergotron has identified three takeaways surrounding mood state, employee collaboration, and lessons learned when transitioning employees to sit-stand workstations.
1. Impact On Mind and Body
Research has shown that employees engaged in sit-stand workstyles benefit from significant improvements to state of mind. This is reinforced by Ergotron’s assessment, which found that nearly three-quarters of sit-stand users say their workstation has a positive impact on their mood, versus only 6% of positive responses from sit-only users. Sit-stand users report a variety of positive impacts to their mind and body, including increases in energy, focus, and productivity.
2. Sit-Stand Workstyles Benefit All Generations in the Workplace
Sit-stand interventions can be an effective means of meeting the needs of employees, regardless of generation. More than half (60%) of sit-stand users fell between the ages of 40 and 60 years old. Thirty-four percent of sit-stand users fell between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. An overwhelming 94% of respondents say their sit-stand workstation reduces their health risks and 70% report that their primary motivation is the benefits to health and productivity.
According to Ergotron’s assessment, for young workers especially (those 20 to 30 years old), implementing movement-friendly workstations positively impacts interaction with others (68%) and increases face time with coworkers (62%).
While some may think those 60 and older would be the least likely to welcome change in their work environment, 50% of users in this age group consider themselves early adopters of sit-stand. These results show that integrating sit-stand can be a promising and age-neutral health promotion strategy for the modern, multigenerational workforce.
3. Sit-Stand Is Easy, but Requires Education and Leadership Support
Consistent with other wellness programs and corporate initiatives, education and leadership support are found to be particularly important when adopting sit-stand workstations. The results indicate that simple steps like support from leadership, education, and peer support can be the catalysts for the change. A percentage of sit-stand users report that education, leadership, and peer support are necessary to implement change.
“If we want our mission to resonate with customers, it’s vital to make sure it is resonating internally,” said Pete Segar, CEO of Ergotron. “This assessment confirms many of the positive benefits of using sit-stand workstations to increase workplace activity. Our employees are experiencing improved productivity and mood, increased collaboration, health benefits, and more with the use of sit-stand desks, and this confirms the importance of creating an active workplace.”
Additionally, Ergotron has developed a high-level executive summary with the key findings of this survey, click here to learn more.