One of the newest trends among office workers is leading a healthier lifestyle. Office workers try to reduce their stress levels by improving the work environment in different ways. These efforts include the use of ergonomic furniture that also promotes well-being. One of the biggest health problems to tackle in the office is sitting for a long time every day. The average office worker spends 8 or 9 hours at a desk.
Firstly, sitting in an incorrect posture is the main source of back and neck problems. There is a wide selection of high-quality office chairs that help to tackle the problem of bad sitting postures. However, a second problem is a sedentary lifestyle that sitting for many hours promotes. Scientific studies have linked sitting for a prolonged time with the development of chronic diseases like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and even cardiac problems.
The standing desk is an innovative solution to combat these health problems. A standing desk is a motorized desk. It is equipped with lifting columns, which are devices that lift and/or drop the tabletop of a desk. They come in a variety of shapes, materials, and designs (you can see several options here). With a standing desk, an office worker can stand several hours to work. Then, he or she can shift to sitting again. Such shifts between standing and sitting have been found to improve the well-being of office workers.
What to Look For in a Good Standing Desk?
More and more companies are purchasing this type of desk for their offices. The rationale is that a healthy and happy employee is much more productive. And standing desks help to promote health and well-being, thereby incrementing the productivity of a company. Also, many people that were forced to work from home due to the ongoing pandemic are buying standing desks. The benefits are the same: a healthier lifestyle and more productive work.
But with different alternatives in the market, one may be confused and hesitant to select the best standing desk. That should not be a problem. There are several things you have to consider when selecting a standing desk for your office. The most important aspects to take into account are:
- The adjustment mechanism;
- Adjustment speed;
- Size and height of the desktop;
- Noise level;
- Weight capacity;
- Functionality;
- Cost;
- Warranty.
Let’s discuss each of these points in detail. Understanding all these aspects will help you to choose the best standing desk for your needs and budget.
The Adjustment Mechanism
As mentioned, a standing desk allows adjusting the height of the tabletop. There are three basic ways of doing such an adjustment: electric, pneumatic, and crank. The latter is almost obsolete and we won’t discuss it. The pneumatic solution is good, but it suffers from several disadvantages that make it impractical in many cases. Nowadays, the best option is an electric standing desk. It is quite practical. You can lift or drop the tabletop by simply pushing a button. It cannot get any simpler.
Adjustment Speed
Time is gold. Therefore, the least you want is to waste much time adjusting the height of your desk. So, you have to check that the time to go from sitting to the standing position doesn’t take more than you are willing to wait. Otherwise, your productivity may suffer.
Size and Height of the Desktop
It should go without saying, but your desktop must have enough space for all the materials that you use during a working day. When you select a standing desk, consider the space that your computer, printer, notebooks, and other materials require. But also take into account the space available at your office. It would be frustrating to buy a standing desk that won’t fit in your office. Make sure that the height range of the standing desk covers comfortably both the standing and sitting postures for you and other people using the desk.
Noise Level
Electric motors provide the force to lift or drop the desktop of an electric standing desk. The system also has some gears to convert the rotation from the motors into up/down movement. When a standing desk functions, it creates noise. It is unavoidable. However, some standing desks are quieter than others. If the noise level is important for your work environment, check the noise a standing desk makes before purchasing it. Luckily, most electric standing desks have low noise levels.
Weight Capacity
This aspect is critical. The motors that lift the desktop must deliver enough force to lift it with all your working materials on it. Consider all the things you usually have on your desktop during work: a computer, printer, notebooks, books, piles of documents, etc. Estimate the weight of the load and select a standing desk with the capacity to lift it. If possible, buy a standing desk with the capacity to lift more weight than you usually have on your desktop. In this way, you can have some safety margin.
Functionality
Besides performing its main task properly, check whether the standing desk allows for the installation of accessories. Some accessories can ease your working tasks and increase comfort while working.
Cost
In general, a standing desk will cost more than a regular desk. Hence, if you’ll buy a standing desk for the first time, get ready to see higher prices than you are used to. Don’t let the price guide your purchase decision. Budget plays an important role, we all know it. But as with many other things, when you buy a standing desk, you get what you pay for. The cheapest option is not always the best. Likewise, you don’t need to break the bank to get a good and functional standing desk. Compare different alternatives and weigh the cost-benefit ratio of each one.
Warranty
Last but not least, you have to pay attention to the warranty that the manufacturer offers. Buying a standing desk is investing in your well-being, health, and work productivity. Hence, make sure your investment is well protected by a good warranty.