Are you considering getting standing desks for the employees working at your NJ office space? You’ve probably heard of the health benefits and figure your employees will welcome the change. Well, before you make an investment, make sure you go through these pros and cons, and see our final takeaway – it’s always important to make an informed decision when making major changes!
So let’s dive into the subject of pros and cons of standing desks. Here we go!
Advantages of standing desks at your NJ office space
There are a lot of advantages to getting standing desks for your employees – that’s why they made such a buzz! With companies such as Google investing in them, you know they’ve got to be a good idea. So, let’s take a look at some of the main benefits of standing desks:
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Higher productivity and alertness
From Expansive: “Sitting in the same spot for extended periods can make you sluggish and even drowsy — but standing allows constant movement, which helps keep you motivated and thinking as you work throughout the day. No surprise then that some managers are finding success through stand-up meetings: meetings where the individuals must participate by standing. The results? Participants felt more engaged with the work and one another.”
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Works muscles and improves blood flow
There are several health benefits of standing rather than sitting, and one of them is that it forces you to be more active, and that improves blood flow and helps you stretch your muscles. That, in turn, can lead to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and possibly even cancer! Studies have found that blood glucose levels and asthmatic levels were positively affected by standing desks.
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Improves spinal structure and posture
From Expansive: “Call it iHunch, computer neck, or any other name you want, the result is the same- using a computer for a long time is bound to strain your spine. Posture isn’t just about how you look— it affects your bone strength and even your confidence. When you stand, you tend to naturally adopt a straighter spine and more upright posture as you work. Finding an adjustable standing desk is crucial if you want to prevent the forward neck position that many laptops on desks cause.”
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Helps burn fat and reduce weight
Most people are aware that standing is better for you than sitting is, especially if you’re trying to stay active and lose weight. A sedentary lifestyle is not ideal for weight loss. Standing causes an increased heart rate, and so if, for example, you stand for three hours daily for five days, you burn around 750 calories. In a year, that adds up to 30,000 calories burned just standing up at work!
So as you can see, standing desks at your NJ office space would improve employee health, and increase productivity levels. Get in touch with your employees and find out what their current goals are, so you can better assess the situation and decide whether this investment is right for you.
Disadvantages of standing desks at your NJ office space
Nothing is just good. Like everything else, there are downsides to standing desks – and quite a few, actually! Let’s go over the key ones.
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Tired knees and sore feet
Expansive says: “Standing for extended periods can be tiring, particularly if you’re not wearing comfortable footwear or insoles. After a few hours, your feet may feel sore, and you may start shifting weight between both legs. By the end of the day, your whole leg may feel like burning, and if you don’t balance stationary standing with stretches and regular exercises, working at a standing desk could be damaging to your muscles.”
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Varicose veins
From Expansive: “Veins in the lower legs must transport blood from the heart, all the way to the feet and back up to the heart again. When people stand for too long or wear ill-fitting clothing, the veins may have to do extra work, resulting in a slight swelling that appears on the surface of the skin. This can be known as varicose veins. This is frequent in servers, nurses, and other workers that stand for a long time.”
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Weight loss is gradual
You may be excited at the prospect of your employees losing weight and getting healthier, but the fact is that standing isn’t exactly a workout. You lose calories, but not a whole lot. So, while your staff will burn away calories, it will be very gradual, and you may not see the result for a few years. You can burn around 50 calories a day, which amounts to up to 22 pounds in 4 years. It’s not a lot, but it sure beats sitting down!
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Lack of solid evidence
Expansive says: “Standing desks are still a relatively new concept, so there aren’t many studies on their long-term effects. One article strongly suggests that many of the existing studies were flawed: either in sample size, length of study, or just overall poor research design. We may have to wait for more accurate and insightful reports to determine the true impact of standing desks.”
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Makes you unpopular
Work is tiring, and after a long, hard day at work (which mostly consists of one sitting at a desk and tapping at a keyboard), people look forward to going home and putting their feet up and relaxing. Now, if you take away their ability to work while sitting down, you will make them a lot more tired – at least initially – and make yourself a very unpopular employer.
So as you can see, there are a fair few disadvantages to getting standing desks for your NJ office space. While it’s noble of you to consider your employees’ health and consider investing in something not strictly necessary in a bid to improve it, their comfort and satisfaction are very important too. We recommend communicating with them and finding out what their preference is.
So, what’s the bottom line?
As you can see, there are lots of benefits of standing desks – improved blood circulation, increased productivity, weight loss, and improved posture. Downsides include tired legs, varicose veins, slow results, lack of evidence, and of course, the unpopularity! So, how do the pros and cons balance out? Are standing desks worth the investment, or should you give them a pass?
Our opinion is that while the benefits are numerous and health benefits are typically worth an investment, you may exhaust your employees and get on their bad side if you force them to stand the whole day while at work. Productivity levels may or may not go up, but resentment certainly will.
So, like we stated earlier, it’s a good idea to do an anonymous poll at your workspace and find out if your employees would want standing desks instead of traditional ones. If they do, that’s great! However, if they don’t, read the room and avoid this particular investment.
Finding the perfect NJ office space
If you want to switch desk types in a bid to try and get more productivity from a decreasingly productive workforce, maybe you should consider changing the office location instead. If your staff isn’t happy with the office space or if they’re overcrowded and unhappy, their productivity will naturally fall.
So, if your office’s productivity has been on the decline and you know you need to upgrade, do that before you try other techniques such as switching desk types. Luckily for you, Blau & Berg is a trusted real estate firm based in New Jersey that can help you find the perfect office space that’ll boost productivity and take your business to the next level.
From a 1,000 sq. ft. office facility to a Class A 100,000 sq. ft. space in Short Hills, NJ, the Blau & Berg platform is simple – focus on being in front of people. Partnering with clients to provide in-depth market support, realistic timeframes and budgetary guidelines is key.
The company’s affiliates allow them to target local markets with global reach. Through research, marketing and canvassing, the firm achieves the optimal results for every client. The office sales and leasing group offers comprehensive strategies that incorporate short and long-term needs to maximize overall business objectives.
About The Blau & Berg Company
Since its inception in 1932, The Blau & Berg Company has held a leading position in the New Jersey and Tri-State commercial real estate market. Headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, Blau & Berg is an independent, full- service commercial real estate brokerage firm providing services in the industrial, retail and office spaces, including site selection, acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, tenant representation, portfolio sales, asset repositioning, and property & construction consulting.
