Height-adjustable desks - a must-have in the office?

A height-adjustable desk is a real asset for everyday work and health. By quickly switching from sitting to standing, the body stays in motion and unhealthy postures can be avoided. But do you absolutely need a height-adjustable desk, or are there perhaps other options? Here’s an overview of the most important pros and cons of a standing desk.

Features of a modern height-adjustable desk

To give you a better idea of the features a standing desk offers in addition to other health benefits, we’ve summarized the most important ones here. You should definitely pay attention to these when deciding to purchase a height-adjustable desk. The Deskspace Pro, which we use as a reference, includes the following features:

• All-in-one keyboard with intuitive, uncomplicated touch control
• USB port for fast charging of smartphones, tablets & more
• Stand-up reminder system for sitting work
• Memory function for up to three different heights
• Made in Germany with five years warranty
• 70 kg lifting capacity thanks to high-quality materials
• Reliable anti-collision system that automatically stops the table when encountering obstacles
• Scratch-resistant and liquid-repellent surface
• Rounded edges for a lower risk of injury
• Quiet motor with a volume of only 50 dB (about like a quiet radio in the background)
• Assembly and disassembly possible within 30 minutes thanks to sophisticated design

You should definitely pay attention to all these features when buying your height-adjustable desk. The volume of the motors, in particular, is a real insider tip, as many manufacturers from the Far East cut corners here, causing the systems to produce a high noise level. In open-plan offices or rented apartments, this can quickly make you unpopular, so it's better to opt for a high-quality model!

Health: The advantages of a height-adjustable desk

The health effects are probably one of the main arguments against sedentary desk work. Poor posture, lack of concentration, and headaches are almost daily consequences of long hours of sitting in the office. Overweight and diabetes are also promoted by prolonged sitting, as the body's calorie consumption decreases. In summary, lack of movement is one of the major everyday dangers for the human body.

Movement breaks and time in the fresh air are part of German labor protection law. This means that employers must enable such work interruptions to take place. Whether employees actually do this is up to them. The fact is, however, that after just one hour of sitting, concentration and performance decrease, especially with demanding tasks such as programming. At the latest then, a short standing or movement break must be taken.

However, there's a problem here: Often, you probably have too much to do to simply walk away for ten minutes. You also can't disappear from a video conference without it being disruptive. So, often the only solution for a healthy workplace is a height-adjustable desk. These are the main health benefits it brings:

• Thanks to better blood circulation while standing, you can concentrate significantly better and stay fit longer
• Your body is slightly in motion all the time. This eliminates the increased risk of diabetes and obesity
• Poor postures can no longer easily arise, as you can adjust the table to the exact right height
• No more tension in the neck and shoulder area thanks to a natural posture
• Your joints are no longer in a fixed position for long periods and are thus continuously encouraged. This means no damage from overly rigid posture
• Your upper body is more relaxed and you feel less tense at the end of the year

In terms of health, the height-adjustable desk is unbeatable. Since regular movement or standing breaks are usually not possible, it is one of the best alternatives for a healthy day in the office. It protects the back, joints, neck, and shoulders, as well as all other muscle groups. The important thing is to develop a good routine for working while standing. For example, always work standing until 2 PM, and only then sit down.

Advantages for image & internal communication

A height-adjustable desk represents a modern & sustainable workplace. The furnishing of one's own office is one of the main criteria for new applicants. It even ranks above factors like the environment and the provision of food and drinks. If you are an employer yourself, you create a real reason to stay by providing height-adjustable desks for your employees, and you differentiate yourself from other companies.

Furthermore, it promotes internal communication with your colleagues. Here's a small example: Imagine you're sitting in your comfortable office chair and have been working on documents for several hours. Now you have a query and need to ask a colleague something. What do you do, pick up the phone or walk up a flight of stairs to inform them? Probably the first option.

At a height-adjustable desk, things look quite different. You not only have much greater freedom of movement, but the effort to get up is also much less. It therefore also promotes personal, internal communication with your colleagues and ensures that you are more inclined to move around.

But are there actually any disadvantages? Perhaps a small one, if you can call it that.

Creatures of habit: The weakness of the height-adjustable desk?

A Deskspace standing desk can be converted back into a normal desk at any time at the touch of a button. So, if you've been used to working sitting down for years, it will be difficult to change that. To avoid stubbornly remaining seated, you should develop a precise strategy in advance on how to integrate the new desk into your day. Thanks to the reminder function, for example, with Deskspace desks you can precisely set when you want to be reminded to stand up.

Whether this is a real disadvantage, we cannot say. However, older people in particular have developed very strong habits over the years, so it could be difficult to convince them. But it is certainly not impossible!

The second "disadvantage" is the slightly higher price caused by the integrated technology. Today, however, they are no longer as expensive as they once were. For example, you can get the Deskspace Pro with all the functions described above for just 499.00 Euros. In many cases, the new desk is also paid for by the employer or the health insurance company.

Conclusion: An alternative to the height-adjustable desk?

There is no real alternative, that's clear to say. If regular movement breaks are not feasible, working standing up is a successful and inexpensive solution. If you would like to learn more about height-adjustable desks and ergonomic working, please visit our website under the section Blog.