The Business Case For Adopting
Sit-Stand Workstations

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Developing a movement mindset should be a top priority for organizations of every sizeand structure. Adding more frequent light-intensity physical activity during the workday—
such as intermittent standing—is beneficially associated with physical and mental health,which can address pressing issues such as absenteeism, presenteeism, rising healthcare
costs and even employee satisfaction. Movement doesn’t have to take individuals
away from their workstations. Organizations can incorporate movement with sit-standworkstations to enhance productivity and to help employees thrive.

2 THE BUSINESS CASE FOR ADOPTING SIT-STAND WORKSTATIONS

1. Cost-effective
THE EMPLOYEE’S PERSPECTIVE
Many wellness interventions require participationin an event or program. An adjustable sit-standworkstation supports movement by allowing
employees to quickly change positions without
interrupting workflow, focus or productivity.

Inactive employees are more expensive than active ones.1 While
making changes to furniture may seem expensive, the cost ofdoing nothing can far outweigh the investment. Healthcare costs
are one of your organization’s largest expenses, and physicalinactivity contributes to some of the most common, costly andpreventable health problems. Studies have shown that more
frequent movement can both proactively and reactively help
people achieve better health and wellness, which translates toless missed work, better engagement and more productivity.
Go to payback.ergotron.com for your personal ROI.
2. Strategic
Organizations that want to remain competitive, recruit and retain
top talent and outperform competition should adopt best-practicewellness programs to help achieve those goals. Standing deskadoption continues to rise, with 44% of employers providing orsubsidizing the cost of replacing a regular desk with a standing
desk.2 Movement benefits employees regardless of age, healthstatus or fitness profile, easily helping populations that might
normally be more difficult to target, like those that are aging orsuffering from chronic conditions.

WORKERSWHO DISLIKESITTING ALL DAY

WORKERS
WHO PREFER
TO SIT OR STAND
AT WILL

WORKERSMOTIVATED BYHEALTH AND
PRODUCTIVITYEMPLOYERSPROVIDINGSTANDING DESKS

WORKERSSTILL MOTIVATEDTO USE THEIR
SIT-STAND DESKS

67%

84%

70%

44%

94%

Source: Ergotron’s Workplace Movement Assessment

THE BUSINESS CASE FOR ADOPTING SIT-STAND WORKSTATIONS 3

3. Self-sustaining
In comparison to traditional wellness activities, signing off on a sitstand desk initiative requires very few employee resources.
The right sit-stand manufacturer can provide you with training andimplementation tools, and once established, the program is easy
to maintain.

THE EMPLOYEE’S PERSPECTIVE
According to the Workstation Impact Assessment
Survey, 94% of sit-stand users report being equallyor more motivated to use their workstation now
than when they began.3 When asked why, people

4. Adaptable
While adding a fitness room or walking path may be space-prohibitive,
retrofitting an existing workstation with sit-stand adjustability requires
no additional space. The transition can easily be done with theexisting infrastructure and furniture, and the investment will work formany users and years to come. It can also address the changing officeclimate to accommodate co-work spaces, temporary staff, outside
consultants and visiting sales teams.

report feeling better and experiencing the benefits ofmovement firsthand, which may account for why 70%
report being primarily motivated by the benefits tohealth and productivity.4

Conclusion
As employers continue to invest in wellness programs, the best
initiatives will benefit both individuals and organizations. With millions
of employees performing jobs in front of computers or around
conference tables, it’s time to have them work in a way that promotes
wellness, productivity and satisfaction. When it comes to decisiontime, feel confident that approving a sit-stand initiative and building
a movement culture makes good business sense. Download thecomplete handbook, Make the Sit-Stand Switch.

Goetzel RZ, Xiaofei P, Tabrizi MJ, Henke RM, Kowlessar
N, Nelson CF, Metz RD. (2012). “Ten modifiable healthrisk factors are linked to more than one-fifth of employeremployee health care spending.” Health Affairs
31(11),2474-2484.
2	
SHRM 2017 Employee Benefits Report3	Ergotron Workplace Movement Assessment, 2016
4	
JustStand® Index
1	USING HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN PRINCIPLESAND THE TECHNOLOGY OF MOVEMENT,WE BUILD ENVIRONMENTS
THAT HELP PEOPLE THRIVE.

MOVING YOU FORWARD@Ergotron

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Literature made in the U.S.A.
Content subject to change.
Ergotron devices are not intended to cure, treat, mitigate or prevent any disease.
Patent information available at www.ergotron.com/patents.