Have you ever wished you had an extra hour in the day? Well, if you’ll settle for roughly 45 minutes, I’ve got good news for you. A new study published in Theoretical and Applied Ergonomics found that workers can squeeze 43 minutes of extra productivity out of their day, just by using a sit-stand desk.
A team of occupational and public health researchers from Texas A&M University discovered the productivity benefits of these adjustable-height desks, which exploded in popularity around the time sitting was declared “the new smoking,” after studying more than 10,000 workers who worked at a large California energy company. They surveyed the workers about their comfort and tracked their computer activity digitally, capturing everything from keystrokes and mouse clicks to words typed and typos.
Read more: “Your Boss Is Watching You”
They found that workers who used the height-adjustable desks averaged 3.66 hours of active computer time per day, compared with just 2.95 hours among those using old-fashioned sit-only desks. Over a year, that adds up to roughly 170 hours of work or four 40-hour workweeks. The sit-standers also made more keystrokes and typed more words (although this speedy typing resulted in slightly more typos). Both groups were equally comfortable (or uncomfortable).
The productivity gains could add up to big bucks, too. According to their back-of-the-envelope calculations using a $52 per hour wage, sit-stand desks may be able to generate roughly $9,000 in annual productivity value per employee (this is where your boss’s eyes turn into dollar signs).
“Our findings were exciting because they suggest that height-adjustable desks can directly influence overall work output and economic organizational productivity,” study author Mark Benden said in a statement. “The data showed that people aren’t just engaging with their work, they are producing output in a meaningful way.”
There’s one caveat, however: This wasn’t a randomized controlled trial. Instead of being randomly assigned workstations, employees were allowed to choose whether they wanted a sitting or standing desk as part of a company wellness program. It’s possible that the more conscientious workers simply opted for adjustable desks.
Still, there are countless studies on the health risks posed by living a sedentary life, so if you don’t want a height-adjustable desk for your productivity, consider one for your health.
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