Standing up for health and productivity benefits with adjustable-height furniture

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.

Dual-monitor displays give users more screen real estate for navigating open applications and performing associated tasks. Like single-monitor workstations, the ergonomic focus is on the user maintaining neutral neck posture.  

Many studies have documented the productivity benefits of dual-monitor displays. In large part, the gains stem from combining multiple monitor screens in order to accomplish complex tasks more easily. Users don't have to toggle back and forth between documents and programs, enabling them to get more work done more quickly.

Research conducted by Microsoft found that productivity can increase by 9 percent and up to 50 percent for specific office tasks. An NEC and University of Utah study found 10 percent increases in productivity, along with 20 percent reduction in errors. Other studies show productivity surges of 12 to 18 percent after employees are equipped with well-designed ergonomic furniture.

The Ergotron WorkFit-S Dual Monitor with Worksurface+ combines the ergonomic advantages of a dual-monitor display with flexible sit-stand functionality. The Workfit-S attachment converts any surface into an adjustable-height, stand-up desk. Users position the keyboard and screens at the ergonomic height and angle most comfortable for them. Patented Constant Force lift technology allows the keyboard and two LCD displays to be raised and lowered with just one hand.

For IT and facilities staff, the easy-to-deploy WorkFit-S sets up in minutes. Office space and cubicles are transformed simply by clamping the WorkFit-S attachment to an existing work surface, with no need for professional installers. The flexible, open-architecture design of Ergotron WorkFit-S Dual Monitor with Worksurface+  products scales to accommodate additional computer equipment, as well.

Click here to learn more about the Ergotron WorkFit-S Dual Monitor with Worksurface+.