Standing desks shown to boost performance and wellbeing at work

Standing desks shown to boost work performance and wellbeing at work

Research consistently shows that sit-stand desks — which allow employees to switch between sitting and standing — can improve workplace wellbeing, increase productivity, and reduce fatigue. One of the most influential studies, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in 2018, monitored NHS staff over 12 months and found that participants reduced their sitting time by more than an hour a day while reporting higher job satisfaction and engagement.

What did the NHS study reveal?

The study, led by researchers from the Universities of Leicester and Loughborough, followed 146 NHS staff as part of the Stand More AT (SMArT) Work programme.

77 employees received height-adjustable desks, guidance, and goals to increase standing time.
69 employees in a control group continued to use standard desks.

After a year, the group using sit-stand desks spent over 80 minutes less per day sitting. They also reported:

Improved concentration and job performance
Better mood and lower fatigue
Greater overall wellbeing

Close up of person standing working at a desk

Why is it important to reduce sitting time?

Extensive research has suggested that sitting down for prolonged periods of time can lead to health conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and musculoskeletal problems.

According to the British Heart Foundation, adults of working age in England, sit for an avergae of 9.5 hours. For office workers, much of that time is spent at work.

Sit-stand desks help to combat these risks by promoting movement and encouraging a more active working day.

Do standing desks really improve productivity?

A 2020 follow up to the study worked out how much money an employer would save if they ran the SMArT Work programme in their company. They calculated a cost-benefit analysis that compared the costs to the productivity saving:

Productivity increasded by 1.75 hours per week per employee
The average return on investment (ROI) was £2.56 for every £1 spent
Using more cost-effective tools, ROI increased to £4.72 for every £1 spent

Employee productivity improved by an average of 1.75 hours per week over a 12-month period.

It was calculated that the programme had a return on investment of 256%. That is for every £1 spent, £2.56 was gained as a result of increased productivity (based on a total cost of £692 per employee).

Further analysis showed that when staff used more cost-effective equipment and free methods, such as electronic timers, for tracking their sitting time and providing reminders (at a cost of £430 per employee), the return on investment would increase to 472%, resulting in £4.72 back for every £1 spent!

These results highlight how even small behavioural changes can deliver measurable improvements in both employee health and business performance.

Woman standing to work at a sit-stand desk in an office

New research strengthens the evidence

In the largest study of its kind worldwide, researchers expanded the SMArT Work programme into the SMART Work and Life programme and tested it with a group of 756 council workers.

Find out more about how the programme was three times more successful when combined with a height-adjustable desk, reducing sitting time by over an hour every day!

At AJ Products, we believe staying healthy at work should be simple and accessible. As proud members of ukactive, we’re committed to creating workplaces that are happier, healthier, and more active.

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