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Sit stand info
- 1. B
- 7. Alternatives to the Chair
- 8. Alternatives to the Chair
- 9. Alternatives to the Chair
- 10. Leaning/Perching
- 13. Get Up, Stand Up: The Effects of a Non-Sedentary Workspace on Information Elaboration and Group Performance Collaborative team-work in creative problem- solving projects Increase in group engagement, decrease in group idea territoriality Better information elaboration and better group performance "Seeing that the physical space in which a group works can alter how people think about their work and how they relate with one another was very exciting…"
Editor's Notes
- So, what does this moon-man have to do with office furniture? Well…a lot, it turns out. As he’s floating in zero gravity, his body is in what we call a neutral posture position. Neutral posture is the ideal position for our bodies, the position that places the least amount of stress on our bodies, where we’re optimally balanced, and where we can work at our best. And that’s the ultimate goal of workplace furniture, and the inspiration behind our new product line, Safco Active. What you’ll see, is that this position isn’t the traditional static picture of us seated at our workstations. Rather, neutral posture positions are promoted by a more by a more upright and active approach. And our Safco Active line represents a new thinking and a new approach to how we support ourselves in our workplace
- And here are some snapshots of what that activated workspace can look like. We’re going through a transformational time in our approach to workplace design. And while we’ll see a lot of trends floating around in those discussions—such as generational differences, mobile & remote workforces, project-based teams, collaborative spaces, and less defined but more flexible spaces—regardless of the specific trend, the underlying goal of workplace furniture is pretty simple but also critically important: how do we support our teams- regardless of the environment that they’re in- in a way that engages and energizes, in a way that makes them more productive. And we’ll see that the picture emerging looks quite a bit different than the model we’ve seen in the past.
- This is all part of what many are calling ergonomics 2.0, or the second wave of ergonomics and the ideals of optimally supporting users in the workplace environment. We’ve all seen our friend on the left; he’s been with us for half a century or so. But the problem is, that the majority of us don’t fit this ergonomic ideal. And while this ideal has been with us for decades and decades, we’re in the worst shape ever, and back & neck pain injuries—caused in part by improper workplace support and ergonomics—are the most costly and prevalent medical condition for corporate workers in America. As well, the nature of how, when, and where we work, increasingly just doesn’t fit this model. And more importantly, our advances in the understanding of human factors, of that optimal and neutral posture position, are pointing to new solutions altogether, a new way of looking at how support ourselves in the workplace to work at our best. And so we can compare that antiquated model again, with the model of neutral posture- of that ideal and position of where we can work at our best.
- That traditional/dated ergonomic ideal is still predicated on a sedentary work environment, and that’s the big challenge. We’re more sedentary tan ever, and most of us spend 15 hours a day or so in sedentary postures, and this is causing a whole host of new issues…
- Issues acknowledged by agencies such as the AMA and CDC. I won’t go through all of the sensationalistic headlines, and you’ve all heard them before, such as sitting is the new smoking. But, the alarm sirens are ringing. The American Medical Association is addressing policy aimed at the health problems of prolonged sitting. And the CDC factors related costs of $147bn annually from obesity related factors; factors in part influenced by our sedentary work environments.
- The effects of our sedentary environments aren’t just changing our bodies with an increase in weight and related effects, they’re actually much more fundamental, Here an image of an average spine profile from 1911, and compare that to an average profile from more recent times. This is pretty remarkable. Our sedentary positions are putting stress on our bodies. And when we look at the medical and health-related expenses for corporate America, back pain and neck pain are the two most costly medical conditions for corporate America. So again, these issues have a big impact on the customers that you’re working with every day.
- So, if those are the problems that we’re facing, what do the alternatives look like…what’s the better way? We’ve seen a lot from our industry on standing or sit-to-stand desks, and there’s some great benefits from those options. However, there’s also some challenges, which we’ll take a look at. But, there’s also better options that are emerging, and options that we’ll take a look at today. These options include perching or leaning stools that represent a new way of looking at our challenges in the workplace, that provide the benefits of an active/standing posture, but support our bodies in that neutral posture position that we looked at earlier. They provide an optimal environment to keep us active, engaged, and productive.
- So, standing desks or sit-to-stand desks have some critical benefits. They can get us up and out of our sedentary position, they provide an active and engaging workplace environment. We get on average a heart rate of 10 beats per minute higher, which burns about 50 more calories per hour, and standing for 3 hours a day per workweek adds up to 30,000 extra calories per year, or about a 10 pound weight loss. But, the pragmatic reality is that standing all day can be fatiguing. In fact, after the honeymoon period, only about 1 in 10 users of sit-to-stand desks, actually use the standing feature; they revert back to the seated position entirely. So while these solutions are headed in the right direction, there are some better alternatives that are more effective and practical.
- These are the recommendations from ergonomists for the optimal balance of sitting/standing/moving. For every 30 minute period, about 20 minutes of sitting/leaning/perching, a couple of minutes of movement, and about 8 minutes of standing. The key here is a range of postures and movements.
- And that’s the critical insights behind our perching/leaning seating solutions. They provide the comfort and support of sitting, plus the benefits of standing. We’re getting leg movement and core engagement, with a body position that supports a neutral posture. So, we’re active and engaged, but don’t face the fatigue and stress factor of standing-only alternatives. The leaning position de-stresses our spines, engages our major muscle groups, are reduces the fatigue associated with standing.
- Now, we discussed quite a bit about the physical/ergonomic/kinetic benefits of these new alternatives. But, as important, are some of cognitive benefits. That is to say, benefits that help us to be more productive, to heighten our ability to focus, and our abilities for creative problem solving. As an example and illustration, when we get a mental block--when we’re just not in the flow and can’t find our focus--many of us take a walk. And after that walk, we have new solutions to old problems, we’re more focused and engaged. There’s good reasons why this happens: when we’re active, we’re stimulating our sensory system, improving blood flow and oxygen to our brains, and enhancing executive functions such as working memory, focus, and creative problem solving. And we can contrast this to the traditional sedentary position, which can leave us with less energy, diminished focus, and poor collaboration and teamwork.
- An example of a recent pioneering study. Researchers at Texas A&M University took two groups in a call center environment for an organization providing health and clinical advising over the phone. A control group using their traditional seated workstations, and a test group using stand-capable desks (sit-to-stand or stand-biased). The results: the test group was 45% more effective on a daily basis compared to their seated counterparts. And this productivity actually increased over time—23% improvement in the first month, and 53% improvement over the next 6 months. Productivity data was measured by the number of successful calls, where the advisor completes consultation objectives for the client, and these successful calls are in turn linked to revenue production. And an important note, for the test subjects with stand-biased workstations—meaning the option to sit (extended height), or stand, 75% reported a decrease in body discomfort/fatigue as a factor for continued use of the workstations. Contrast that figure with the earlier general data that we saw where around 9 out of 10 users weren’t continuing with upright work- they were lowering their workstation and going back to traditional seated use. Part of the challenge is to build the complete ecosystem for the user- with support products such as anti-fatigue mats, ergonomic lighting, and stools that can provide integrated support the user in the upright and active position. And again, that the inspiration behind our Safco Active line.
- Another study, Get Up, Stand Up The Effects of a Non-Sedentary Workspace on Information Elaboration and Group Performance from Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO This study looked more specifically at the impact that active environments can have on collaboration, team work, and creative problem solving. The researchers took two groups, one group in a traditional seated or sedentary environment and the other group in an active/standing environment. Participants had to work together in teams for a creative project work. The researchers found key distinctions between the two groups, and attributed some of the distinctions to the differences between the two environments and working postures. As we would anticipate, the team members in the active environment had better physiological arousal and sensory stimulation. And, critically important for collaborative projects, members of the active/standing group reported that their team members were less protective of their ideas, they were more open to sharing ideas, contributing to the team processes, and collaborating on the project; this improved team dynamic led to better project outcomes. As the researchers concluded, "Seeing that the physical space in which a group works can alter how people think about their work and how they relate with one another was very exciting.”