Standing desks are a common trend in the office space, but you can also find other types of sit-stand desk converters that may suit your needs better. Here is a quick guide explaining what to look for in a stand-up desk converter and what will work best for you.
The Benefits of Standing Desks:
- Minimizing sitting time while increasing productivity.
- Reducing health risks associated with prolonged sitting too long.
- It’s easier to get out of bed when it’s not 6 am!
- A more active workstation can encourage new ideas and easier collaboration with colleagues. Standing desks may be an ideal way to avoid injury from repetitive use of a keyboard or mouse as well as problematic computer posture (neck tension).
- Many studies these days have shown the benefits of standing while working, but it may just not be feasible for your situation.
The Drawbacks of Standing Desks:
- Standing desks are more expensive than using a sit-stand desk converter.
- Standing desks can be dangerous for people with disabilities, especially those in wheelchairs or who experience balance problems.
- Stand-up desks can take a lot of getting used to and there is a risk that you won’t like it. You will probably experience a sore back after adjustment and might feel anxious or anxious about any discomfort you may experience while standing at work.
- If you can’t stand for long periods of time, then a sit-stand desk converter may be right for you.
What to Look For?
The first thing to check is the length and width of the workspace. The desk should at least fit your height. By adding chairs or a chairlift, you increase mobility and can always sit down if needed to catch up on some rest or take a break (possibly while standing).
If you don’t want a high-tech automated system, then go with a simple switch that can be fixed to the work surface or put in an electrical socket in your office. Then it’s all up to you whether you will use it daily or once in a while. In addition, it’s wise to have a space under the workstation to put your laptop or books when not in use. A stable platform is also necessary to avoid falling down.
Below are the criteria that are important:
1) The height of the desk should be both adjustable and wide enough for you. You can try bending the legs if you need more space, but only lift them up once they’re locked (they should always be locked).
2) Optimal workspace width includes room for your legs and shoulders as well as a comfortable walking distance from desk to other office furniture. Most stand-up desks will take up 70% of this area.
3) Work surface depth should be sufficient for most laptops, about 10 inches for a 17 or 15 inch wide, 14 inch wide or 11 inch wide. This will mean you have to adjust your keyboard layout and make adjustments in software programs to fit the new configuration, but it’s always cheaper than buying new hardware.
4) The surface should be a very low-friction laminate (plastic top and tile surface). Some of the recent stand-up desks offer different surfaces available like marble (very expensive), glass (slightly more expensive), fabric (still more expensive), bamboo plywood and ceramic tables.
5) The height is adjusted with one touch lever. This will be at the front of the desk, usually behind a flap. It’s easy to get used to, but getting it wrong may be painful.
6) There are different types of lifts: low step, high step, and side-step. One adjusts the height of just a few inches, one is for those of you with lower legs and another one for those with high hips (organization specialists may use this type of stand-up desk), or you can go for a combo lift that has both approaches in a single product.
7) The surface material should be hard plastic (composite material can possibly damage computers).
8) The surface of the desk should be non-slip, anti-fatigue, noise-reducing, and anti-magnetic. There are different types of rubber surfaces available: plastic, fabric or silicone.
9) The desk should be easy to disassemble and assemble.
10) It should not take up too much space in your office as you may want to use it as a keyboard tray or a work surface for other office equipment like copier machines or printers.
11) If you need multiple workstations (for instance, with two computers), then one standup desk is too small for two fairly large screens with connection cables.
Final Words
If the standing desks meet all the above criteria – it is a match! You can also consider purchasing a good quality electric adjustable desk and an office chair for your office to ensure that your employees are healthy, happy, and productive!