Who is ready for the next big trend?
Every year it seems like there’s something new that every workstation has to have. Businesses push new practices, procedures, and equipment in the pursuit of productivity and/or wellness.
Today, we’re going to discuss a few of the hottest trends that are active in workstations this year. Some of them you might have seen already – if so, let us do your thoughts. So, are you ready to see what might be showing up at your workstation soon?
Standing Desks
Have you ever noticed that a lot of your employees and/or coworkers tend to get up a lot whenever they are overwhelmed or overworked? By standing up, they allow their bodies to relax and decompress from the stress and strain of sitting.
And while this may seem like it’s a trend (more like a fad), studies have shown that people who stand for it least 60 minutes per day while at work are more than 50% less likely to suffer from upper back and/or neck pain.
There are multiple types of standing desks, from fixed standing desks to adjustable standing desks. Adjustable standing desks are the most versatile for the workplace, giving each employee the ability to choose when they stand and when they sit.
Treadmill Desks
This is another trend that has taken the workplace by storm. Treadmill desks are desks that incorporate both standing and walking while working. Now, we can hear it now – some people can’t walk and talk at the same time … this probably isn’t for those people.
But for those who can multitask, treadmill desks like these models from 10Desks.com have been shown to be better for overall health and wellness. In fact, LifespanFitness has an article that shows the treadmill desks can actually improve your mood, creativity, productivity, help to reduce stress, help you lose weight, protect you from the risk of Type-2 diabetes, lower your blood pressure, and even maintain strong bones.
That’s a lot of benefits!
So while this is a “trend”, there’s a good chance that it will be incorporated into your workstation sooner rather than later.
Desk Bikes
For those who don’t want to stand and/or walk, there is another option. A desk bicycle functions in one of two ways:
The employee sits on a stationary bike while working with a modified desk.
The employee sits in a normal desk chair with a small desk bike underneath their desk.
This is great for people who can’t stand for long periods of time but who still want to be healthy. Plus, a desk bike helps to keep them from becoming too focused on their projects which can cause stress.
Ergonomic Ball Chairs
Here’s another trend that seems to be coming faster than expected. Ergonomic ball chairs are designed to help users strengthen their core, improve their posture, and increase their calorie expenditure – all without having to leave their desk.
These chairs look a little funny and some employees might not feel comfortable sitting on these chairs. But these chairs definitely give you a challenging workout (sometimes too much).
With the other options above, you have the ability to use or not use each device. But if you replace your office chair with an ergonomic ball chair, you’re kind of left with only one option. Even so, these are great for improving posture and helping to increase calorie expenditure.
Pomodoro Timers
And finally, many offices are starting to incorporate other types of time management software and/or devices. One notable style of timer is the Pomodoro timer which uses a set time frame to give more frequent breaks.
For instance, while working on a task you would plan to stop every 20 to 25 minutes. If you haven’t completed the task, you take a five-minute break. Then, you resume work. If you have to stop again after 20 to 25 minutes, you take another five-minute break. After several cycles (four or five), you would take a longer break of 10 to 15 minutes (maybe even 30). This helps you to stay focused without being coming overwhelmed and/or stressed out.
Final Thoughts About Active Workstations
Most of the time, trends are really just fads. However, most of these aren’t fads. In fact, most of these present some type of health benefit for both the employee and the company. As such, there’s a good chance that these will become more common in more workstations across America sooner rather than later.
Nina Smith 