Table of Contents
1. Preparation of a user panel study: installation of height-adjustable electric desks
2. What impact do sit-stand desks have on employee productivity?
A study conducted in the United States in 2013 demonstrated the effectiveness of sit-stand desks in improving the productivity of call center employees. Previous research had shown that working while standing—in short bursts—is an effective way to counteract a sedentary lifestyle in the office. Indeed, humans are designed to move, and it is not natural for them to remain seated for too long—such as during an entire workday. The negative health effects quickly become apparent: fatigue, muscle soreness, and pain in the lower back, arms, and shoulders. Alternating between sitting and standing using appropriate work equipment—such as an electric sit-stand desk or a sit-stand platform—helps reduce the risk of pain while also increasing physical activity.
Height-adjustable desks are therefore excellent tools for promoting workplace health, but one question remains: What impact do they have on productivity? In other words, are they a good investment for the company, beyond the direct benefits observed for employee health? That’s what researchers at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health set out to understand by evaluating the productivity of call center employees after installing height-adjustable desks.
Preparation for the user panel study: installation of height-adjustable electric desks
The study was conducted among medical advisors at a call center who performed computer-based work while seated at fixed desks. The 167 employees participating in the study were divided into two groups:
- For the first group, desks with electric height adjustment were installed. They allowed users to work while sitting or standing.
- The second group continued to use the existing fixed-height desks.
The objective of the study was to observe, compare, and analyze the productivity of the two groups of employees. Productivity was calculated over a six-month period using the company’s software, which tracks the number of successful calls made per hour per employee. The company’s revenue and the medical advisors’ earnings are calculated based on the number of successful calls. The researchers therefore used the data provided by the company’s software to determine changes in productivity for each group of employees.
What impact do sit-stand desks have on employee productivity?
After comparing the data collected from each of the two groups, the researchers found that employees using height-adjustable desks made between 0.4 and 0.5 more successful calls per hour than their colleagues sitting at standard desks. Employees who alternated between sitting and standing thus demonstrated 46% higher productivity than their colleagues. Furthermore, the productivity gap between the two groups of employees widened starting in the second month of the study.
"Researchers found that employees who used height-adjustable desks were 46% more productive than their colleagues who sat at standard desks."
During the study, call center employees were also asked about changes in their perceived physical pain since the installation of their height-adjustable desks. Their responses only serve to confirm the health benefits of sit-stand work, as 75% of employees equipped with height-adjustable desks reported a reduction in their physical pain throughout the day. We can conclude that this reduction in pain contributed in part to the increase in productivity: people work better when they’re healthy!
"75% of employees with electric desks reported a reduction in physical pain throughout the day."
Most office workers spend the majority of their workday sitting. This is particularly true for call center employees, who spend 90% to 95% of their work time sitting, compared to 30% to 50% for other office workers. Sitting for too long can lead to physical pain, which is sometimes even linked to musculoskeletal disorders. Such discomfort for the employee affects their work efficiency. At the company level, this can result in a decline in productivity due to an increase in absenteeism. In this study, the installation of sit-stand desks for call center employees helped reduce their pain and increase their productivity. The study also highlights that the costs associated with installing height-adjustable desks are more than offset by the increase in productivity.
"The costs associated with installing height-adjustable desks are more than offset by the increase in productivity."
The benefit of electric height-adjustable desks is that they allow you to change your working posture throughout the day with ease: simply press a button to raise or lower the desk. Although working while standing may seem like a way to stay healthy, any prolonged static posture is not recommended. It is therefore important to alternate between sitting and standing. For this reason, it is advisable to pair a sit-stand desk with an ergonomic office chair to ensure you can work comfortably while seated.
(1) Source: IIE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors: See the full study
Further Reading
Would you like more information about the benefits of sitting-standing work? Check out our advice sheets , “Sitting-Standing Work: How Does It Affect My Health?” and “Sitting-Standing Work Stations: The New Office Tool for Alternating Postures.”
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