Occupational Health Sciences prioritized the installation of sit-stand work stations for our employees this past year. And as organizations have learned, we had to plan ahead to budget for this process.

Arranging standing options for desk-bound work was an important priority for our overall health and safety – we have closely followed and in some cases added to the research demonstrating the importance of standing and moving during the work day.

Here’s some of what we learned:

• If funds are limited, prioritize allocation of work stations by total amount of time seated during the day, and personal interest, or develop a rotation plan.
• Install one or more sit-stand devices in communal areas to give staff an opportunity to test out if this is a good option for them, and to assist with selection of different options.
• Emphasize best practices for use – most people are best served by a combination of sitting and standing throughout the day: It is generally best to alternate standing and sitting.  So, the stations should be easy to raise or lower.
• Encourage movement throughout the day. Download our tip sheet: Solutions to Get People Moving.

What’s happening in your workplace?

Resources:
Sedentary, Stationary and Physically Demanding Work – (symposium recorded on 6/14, available to view at no cost)
Total Worker Health and Wellness Topic – OccHealthSci online library