This article discusses standup desks and the health impacts of prolonged sitting. It notes that 50-70% of office workers sit for 6 or more hours per day, which is associated with increased risks of various health issues. The American Council on Exercise provides standup workstations and employees report feeling more energetic and focused while standing. Various types of standup desks are presented as alternatives to sitting all day. Experts recommend standing part of the day and breaking up prolonged sitting to improve health.

1. P O W E R P R O F I L E
NEWS BITS
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A
dvocates of workplace wellness
initiatives are hoping 2015 will be
the year that standup desks,
historically favoured by great minds from
Leonardo da Vinci to Virginia Woolf, will
reconfigure the modern cubicle. Some
50 to 70 per cent of people spend six or
more hours each day sitting, according to
a 2012 study from the US National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Fitness experts say office workers are
particularly susceptible to what has been
dubbed the sitting disease. “Researchers
have said that sitting is the new
smoking,” says Jessica Matthews,
exercise physiologist at Miramar College
in San Diego.
Prolonged sitting is associated with
an increased risk of diabetes, cardio-
vascular disease, obesity and early
mortality, she added. Medical studies
show that even people who are active are
not immune to health concerns resulting
from hours of sitting.
The American Council on Exercise
(ACE) has offered its workers the option
of standing workstations for more than
two years. “Many people report feeling
more energetic. It certainly helps with
mental processing,” says Dr Cedric
Bryant, chief science officer at ACE.
Bryant, who works at a desk attached
to a treadmill, says standing helps him
stay alert and focused. He believes the
desks are a reasonable expense.
There are various types of standup
desks, from freestanding workstations to
others that are placed on top of a regular
desk or table.
California-based Joe Nafziger was a
creative director at an ad agency when
he developed the ReadyDesk, a US$169
adjustable standup desk.
“It’s definitely a worldwide thing that
is picking up speed,” says the 35-year-
old, whose desks have been sold in
countries including the United States,
Australia, Germany and Japan.
“And I love that you are always ready
– you are not half turned off – leg
muscles fired up, core activated, with
less stress on your spine,” he added.
A study published in the Journal of
Physical Activity and Health showed that
over an eight-hour day, standing at a
desk burns an additional163 calories
compared to sitting.
Bryant says just as sitting all day is
not good, neither is prolonged standing,
which studies have shown can increase
the risk of hardening arteries and
varicose veins. “Start by standing for a
half hour or an hour of the workday,”
he says, to give the body time to adjust.
The goal is to break up the day to
avoid the typical, constant sitting that
most do in an office.
“It’s more of a lifestyle approach:
turning the clock back to where life used
to be before we engineered movement
out of our lifestyle,” Bryant says.
Reuters
Don’t take workplace ailments sitting down
Prolonged sitting is associated with an
increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
obesity and early mortality
Contact us
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Tom Eves
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Photos: Reuters, AFP, Xinhua
H
iroshiTakiskilfullyrearrangesa
jumper on its hanger while
waitingforthephotographerto
set up at the Uniqlo shop in
Tsim Sha Tsui. Taki, 38, Uniq-
lo’sco-CEOforHongKongandco-COOfor
China, is among the youngest of the cloth-
ing company’s overseas executives. “Not
many people were promoted in the same
[way as me]. A lot of people advance their
career stably,” he says. “I have to take care
of those who are climbing step by step be-
hindme.Ihavetoremembertoappreciate
and cherish them.”
Such appreciation did not come natu-
rally; his pride took a few knocks along the
way. He started his career on the Uniqlo
shop floor in Tokyo after graduating from
TakushokuUniversityin1999withadegree
in business administration.
A year later, he was promoted to store
manager, which he counts as the most dif-
ficult experience in his career. “I was only
23andhad60staff,whowereallolderthan
me. So I thought, ‘they must obey me’. I
thought I was so very capable. This way of
thinking was doomed to failure. I was
slammed with many criticisms. My staff
shutdownallcommunicationandmycon-
fidence plummeted.”
Hehadtobreaktheice,soheinvitedhis
stafftowritedowntheiropinionsofhimon
a whiteboard. “They said I was terrifying
andtoostrict.‘Wedon’tknowwhatyouare
thinking.’TheysaidIshouldcommunicate
andexplainmorebeforeIgivethemorders.
It was such a heavy blow. I knew I was the
problem and I was solely responsible for it.
Therefore, I had to change.”
This experience shaped his leadership
philosophy. “I absolutely disagree with
brandishing superiority. I don’t want my
stafftotreatmelikeaCEOortheirboss.Itis
wrong to just think about commanding
others to do the work. I would rather they
were self-motivated. In giving them free-
dom and a good environment in which to
be creative and get on with their work, the
results are always more positive.”
Takimightbeasomethingofawunder-
kind, but he did work for eight years as the
sales manager of 10 stores until his big
break came in 2008, when he was trans-
ferredtoHongKong,thenTaiwantobethe
operations director. His career has since
taken off, with 51 stores opening on the
island since the first in Taipei in 2010.
He says his insatiable desire to learn is
one of the reasons for his success. “I can
steal from everyone around me because I
amemptyinside,andeveryonearoundme
is talented.”
An avid reader who used to read a book
a day, Taki says he can now only manage
two or three books a week. “I wake up
aroundsixeverymorningandworktill7or
8pm with back-to-back meetings. I also
have to travel to Tokyo once or twice a
month. I don’t think I’ve achieved a very
good work-life balance. But you can’t just
work without a life. You need to treasure
your family and basically know what you
are working hard for.”
He is especially passionate about men-
toring younger generations. “Young peo-
ple don’t have dreams anymore and are
more short-sighted. They may be content
with a comfortable life. It’s such a waste,”
he says. “But I really like people who have
dreams, because people who have dreams
will most certainly be successful.”
Taki has high hopes for his new role in
China. “I really hope the business in China
will succeed. We aim to reach the target of
having1,000shops[inGreaterChina]with1
trillion yen [HK$65 billion] in sales before
2020.Wehavearound400storesinGreater
China right now. So it means we’ll have to
open100 new stores every year till 2020.”
Retail oriented
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highflyers
FEATURE
HIGH-FLYERS
Hiroshi Taki shares his leadership philosophy
Trust others “I know my ability and what I lack. Therefore, I need others to help me. This is
teamwork and it is powerful.”
Seize the day “If you see each day as the last day of your life, being more considerate and kinder to
others will come naturally.”
Be a dreamer “People who have a dream will most certainly be successful.”
Stay open “Be diversified and have multiple perspectives, because people are very different.”
Take criticism “It’s very rare to have people telling you the truth. So if you have staff telling you,
‘Oh boss, there’s something you’vedone or said wrong,’ it isdefinitely a blessing.”
UNIQUE LOW-DOWN
Hiroshi Taki, Uniqlo HK co-CEO and China co-COO, learned to listen on his way up, writes Sandra Lam
Photo:GaryMak