You can’t walk through a modern office without noticing them.
They’re hard to ignore, sticking out above the surroundings, a glimpse of freedom from hours of sitting.
It’s a sign of an inquisitive young generation of workers yearning for a healthier work environment.
But it’s also a harbinger of things to come. (And chairs to go!)
They say: “As California goes so does the nation”. And the standing desk is picking up major steam in the Golden State, with enough momentum to push past the tipping point.
The 5 reasons standing desks will become standard issue in the company of the future:
#1 – They already are.
Sit-stand desks have quickly become the go-to for many of newest and hottest tech companies. That’s right, you arrive to your first day of work at that trendy start-up, and your desk is now a piece of technology, with the functionality to easily fit the tallest or shortest worker at the company.
Larger and more established companies are studying the introduction of sit-stand desks. The reason: These desks offer ultimate customization, and companies are finding that keeping workers happy and healthy helps retain key talent, as well as helps to curtail medical expenses.
Beyond that, standing desks can actually drive major breakthroughs – something every company certainly strives for.
#2 – Standing desks are increasingly inexpensive.
It wasn’t too long ago that sit-stand desks were insanely expensive, reserved only for the most affluent companies and standers. There’s a reason that “IKEA Standing Desk Hack” was the most popular standing desk related search term on google for years.
However, with a fleet of inexpensive crowdfunded standing desks the landscape is now changing. These lower prices are making standing desks more accessible, without a doubt.
When building out new offices, companies must consider more than simply cost. It all comes down to the bottom line, and that bottom line is buffered by increased retention, decreased medical claims, and supercharged productivity.
Standing desks are now more affordable than ever. So companies don’t have to spend much more for the increased flexibility and perceived happiness it gives their current and potential new employees.
This is great news for those of us wanting to work healthier.
#3 – Sitting is the new smoking.
Research is making it vividly clear that a sedentary lifestyle is not healthy. If you ask anyone with a desk job (most anyone), they feel the ill effects of sitting, it takes a toll on the body.
We’re collectively realizing that momentary comfort is not worth chronic pain and illness. We want to enjoy your life outside the office, and we recognize that moving more is healthy and natural.
This is hard when confined to a chair, it’s only natural that work environments adapt and evolve to allow for more movement.
Smoking was once normal, but is now very widely regarded as reckless and disgusting, relegated to increasingly sparse smoking areas.
Thankfully, there’s no such thing as “second-hand sitting”, but we’ll see social attitudes shift in the coming years. Just as smoking is seen as a clear signal that one doesn’t take care of themselves, so to will sitting be seen.
#4 – New accessories make standing desks better than ever.
Those of us who have been standing for years remember the relatively lonely early years. Now that the standing desk movement has exploded, the market incentives are there for companies to create amazing standing desk companion products.
Standers can get the most out of their desks with apps and wearables that track their positions and movement. The computer mouse has gotten vertical too. Monitor arms and keyboard trays allow easy positioning of your peripherals.
And our absolute favorite, you can now have an anti-fatigue mat designed specifically for standing desks that actually drives you to move more and vary your posture.
#5 – Standing desk users are straight-up sexier
And sexiness is contagious.
We all know that sex sells, and the health benefits of standing desks ensure that the office standers are consistently among the healthiest, happiest, and fittest in the building.
Sitters see that and want to jump on board. Just take a look at the search traffic driven by all this standing desk sexiness:
“Standing Desk” search traffic over time.
Get Your Standing Desk On
Don’t have one yet? Check out our list of the best standing desks on the market, or our sortable table of every single standing desk out there.
Just got a standing desk? Check out the QuittingSitting transition plan to make sure you’re taking the right steps to fully realize all the benefits of a sit-stand desk.
Already a seasoned stander? Grab a vertical mouse or the not-flat standing desk mat to upgrade your experience.