Petaluma, CA-based WorkRite® Ergonomics (www.workriteergo.com) recently released the survey results of its “How Long Can You Stand to Sit?” survey. Of the more than 500 office workers surveyed, 89 percent reported feeling muscle tension or fatigue at least occasionally at the end of their workdays.
The findings reveal the aches and pains currently afflicting today’s office workers, many of which spend extensive periods of the day seated at their desks. “Over half of all office workers spend more than 6 hours each day at their desks, which can feel even longer when you’re forced into a position that doesn’t suit your body shape,” says Derek Timm, special projects manager, WorkRite. “This is comparable to walking around in ill-fitting shoes, or sleeping in a bed that’s too small.”
With so many individuals working while seated, it’s easy to assume this is the preference. However, WorkRite’s survey findings revealed that more than half of respondents (57 percent) would welcome the opportunity to spend the majority of the day on their feet, standing. Additionally, the majority of respondents (92 percent) noted their preference for a desk or workstation that allowed minor adjustments in height and 82 percent expressed interest in a slightly angled surface for typing or keyboarding.
In response to the results, Timm suggests that archaic furniture which leaves little room for variances in worker height, posture, or personal preferences be replaced with work centers that offer this capability. According to WorkRite, “The survey also shows that adjustable work centers not only relieve physical aches and pains for workers, but they also can help alleviate management woes of lower productivity.” Many respondents (more than two-thirds) reported the need to leave their desks and stretch their legs at least five times daily. As WorkRite points out, if these five breaks last 10 minutes long, nearly a hour of potential work time is lost per employee each day.
To find out more about the results of WorkRite’s “How Long Can You Stand to Sit?” survey, contact the company by calling (800) 959-9675.
