There was a time when sit-down jobs signified accomplishment. For office workers, it was a sign that you've risen above the need to "labor" at work and you're well on your way up the corporate ladder. Today, however, desk jobs are understood to promote sedentary positions and health trends are pushing toward movement, even in the office.
The average office employee spends 8 to 9 hours a day seated. Research shows that the cumulative effect of sitting this long every day for years can contribute to health problems ranging from obesity to cancer to early death.
Keeping workers moving is one facet of a larger focus in the workplace on the benefits of ergonomics, or the practice of designing and arranging products, systems, and processes so they interact most efficiently and safely with the people who use them. In ergonomics, the objective is to fit the task to the worker, not the other way around.
Sit-to-stand adjustable workstations and dual-display monitors are two recent ergonomic trends gaining momentum in the workplace. The benefit of a sit-to-stand setup is its ability to counteract the harmful effects of sitting all day. Workers have the freedom to switch between sitting and standing positions, which encourages healthy movement throughout the day. A well-fitted, ergonomic workstation reduces a user's potential back, neck, and eye strain.