It’s that time of year – there’s a crisp bite to the air, school buses are clogging up the roads, pharmacies are ablaze in orange and black, and supermarkets are selling mums and pumpkins. As fall nears, we head back to school and ramp up intensity at work.
Post summer, sitting at a desk seems less appealing than ever. And while sitting isn’t quite as unhealthy as smoking, we all know it isn’t the best thing for us. We probably don’t need scientific studies to know it is a whole lot more comfortable to move around a bit during our days at the office, but thankfully they do confirm why we suffer from achy backs.
Workplace health and ergonomics are at the forefront of everyone’s mind and have infiltrated office culture. A comprehensive study by Workrite Ergonomics, Fujitsu, and Sony Pictures confirmed that 88% of participants felt healthier during their workday, and 100% asked to keep their adjustable height desks after completing a four-week trial.
Source: Workrite Ergonomics
Still, the question remains for those of us working in schools and offices: how exactly can we get adjustable height ergonomic furniture, without paying for it ourselves?
Thanks to medical insurance, HSAs, and your doctor's orders, a new height adjustable workstation might just be one request away. If you can build a compelling health and business case for a new height adjustable desk, your boss might just approve your request. We recommend touching on a few of the benefits for both you and your organization to convince him or her that a flexible workstation is a savvy investment for the modern workplace.
Once you track down your facility manager, or whoever is in charge of procuring new office equipment, you should make sure you are armed with the facts you need to bring your adjustable height workspace dreams to reality. Take advantage of a brief email request template that we have started for you here.
In addition, don’t forget to highlight just a few of the benefits you get when working with SMARTdesks:
1. Quote some recent studies that show the benefits of adjustable height workstations.
If your boss wants to see evidence that sitting all day dampens your spirits and productivity, aside from the empty bottle of Ibuprofen on your desk, try quoting him/her a few statistics. This study showed, via comparison analysis over a six month period, that Users of stand-capable desks were ∼45% more productive on a daily basis compared to their seated counterparts. Further, productivity of the stand-capable desk users significantly increased over time, from ∼23% in the 1st month to ∼53% over the next 6 months.
You can also argue that creating ergonomic work spaces for employees will help your business run more smoothly, thanks to increased collaboration and better employee morale.
You may even have options available to you that you didn’t know existed. Inquire you’re your HR department if funding is already allocated for office equipment and employee wellness programs. If you have employer-based health insurance, you may even be able to get reimbursed through your FSA or HSA program, with a purchase order from SMARTdesks, completed claim form from your health plan administrator, and explanation of benefits from your regular health insurance, in order to show that the purchase is not covered.
2. If you suffer from persistent pain, get a chiropractor or doctor's note for back up.
Carpal Tunnel, eye strain, and back problems from work, are all fair game to bring to your primary physician, chiropractor, or doctor's nurse practitioner. You can bring photos and evidence that your workstation might be negatively impacting your health. If you can modify your workstation ASAP, sometimes injuries can be mitigated before serious damage occurs. Employers that value the happiness and work-life balance of their employees are likely going to be receptive to your request, especially if they foresee risk of a workman’s compensation lawsuit.
3. Show them the variety of customization options you’ll get by choosing SMARTdesks
Lots of companies are making height adjustable workstations today. But with SMARTdesks, you'll get so many more options to customize your workstation to your body's needs—and your office's style needs. Our desks are aesthetic, with options for any color palette and budget. Your desk can be customized from the desktop finish to the type of casters, giving you the power to build a workstation and work space that meets every one of your specifications.
