Beyond Space furniture Dubai aim is to share the insights and real time experience we get from our clients, design community , we try to understand the thoughts of each organization and try to sum up the things in our articles , our aim is to educate the organization about the importance on wellbeing within in the organization and believe me result is not measurable,
We think about employee happiness, motivation to come to office and overall healthy and active workspace.
We have done study and come up with few important points which help in setting up the height adjustable desk for maximum productivity and comfort.
As someone who spends a significant portion of their day working at a desk, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of ergonomics in maintaining comfort and productivity.
Lets get started
One key aspect of ergonomics that often goes overlooked is the desk's height. Finding the optimal height can make a difference in posture, comfort, and overall well-being.
In this post, I’ll delve into the intricacies of determining the best ergonomic desk height and offer practical tips I’ve learned along the way to help you find the perfect fit.
Key takeaways:
- Desk height significantly impacts comfort, productivity, and long-term health by promoting proper posture.
- The ideal height for a desk when sitting is between 72 and 75 cm . However, if you’re standing, adjust to a height of 100 to 115 cm. it depends on the user height.
- It’s also vital to consider working tips such as ensuring adequate lighting, purchasing a comfortable ergonomic office chair, and scheduling regular break
Why Desk Height Matters?
Photo by sit stand desk on Beyond Space
Desk height is a crucial aspect of ergonomics. An appropriate desk height can significantly impact your comfort, productivity, and long-term health for several reasons:
Benefit #1 — Posture
The right desk height helps maintain a neutral body position. It allows you to sit with your feet flat on the floor; thighs parallel to the floor, and arms at a comfortable 90-degree angle when typing or writing.
Benefit #2 — Comfort
A desk that is too high or too low often leads to discomfort and musculoskeletal problems. If you have to reach up or bend down to use your keyboard or mouse.
Benefit #3 — Productivity
When you are comfortable and free from pain or discomfort, you can focus better on your tasks. An ergonomically set up desk can help improve your overall efficiency and productivity.
Benefit #4 — Long-term health
Over time, working at a desk that is not the correct height can contribute to the development of repetitive strain injuries, poor blood circulation, neck strain, and eye fatigue. Ensuring your desk is at the proper height can help prevent these issues.
What Is the Best Desk Height?
The best desk height depends on individual body measurements and what type of work you do. The ideal desk height should allow you to maintain a comfortable and ergonomic posture while seated or standing.
When Seated
To determine the best desk height when sitting, I adjust my ergonomic chair so my feet are flat on the floor, with my knees at a 90-degree angle. This is the starting point for finding the correct desk height.
I also ensure that my arms can comfortably rest on the desk or the armrests of my chair, with my elbows at a 90-degree angle. My shoulders are relaxed and not hunched up or drooping.
It’s also crucial to adjust the desk and monitor height so that the top of the screen is at or just below eye level. This helps prevent neck strain from looking too far up or down at the screen.
The specific measurement can vary, but the average desk height that typically works well when seated is around (71 to 76 centimetres) from the floor.
When Standing
Here’s how I find the right standing desk height for myself when standing at my desk. I stand up straight with my shoulders relaxed and my arms hanging loosely at my sides. Then, I bend my elbows at a 90-degree angle, keeping my upper arms aligned with my torso.
From here, I raise or lower the desk so my hands can rest comfortably on the keyboard or work surface without reaching up or down. I also adjust the height of my monitor so that the top of the screen is at or slightly below my eye level.
If you’re using a height-adjustable desk, take advantage of this to switch between sitting and standing positions throughout the day. This encourages movement and reduces the health risks associated with prolonged sitting or standing.
Benefits of Using Height-Adjustable Desks to Improve Your Health and Performance
At Beyond Space Furniture in Dubai, we’re dedicated to providing wellbeing solutions for our clients. After years of experience and extensive research from various sources worldwide, we've discovered that height-adjustable desks are key to improving both health and performance, offering a human-centric approach to workspace design.
We’d like to share a groundbreaking study by the University of Leicester that supports the effectiveness of height-adjustable desks.
A Fascinating Study from the University of Leicester
Recently published in the British Medical Journal, the study explores how height-adjustable desks—often referred to as ‘standing desks’—can positively impact physical, biochemical, psychological, and work-related health and performance.
Dr. Charlotte Edwardson, Associate Professor in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Health, worked with ergonomic specialists at Posturite to provide sit-stand platforms for her research. The study, titled "Effectiveness of an intervention for reducing sitting time and improving health in office workers," delivers important findings!
Key Findings from the Study
As public health guidelines increasingly emphasize reducing sedentary time, including new recommendations from the World Health Organization, Dr. Edwardson concluded:
"Height-adjustable desks were an effective intervention for improving wellbeing at work. Small improvements were found in stress, wellbeing, vigor, and lower extremity pain. Our multicomponent intervention (SMART Work and Life) successfully reduces sitting time, and it’s three times more effective when paired with the use of height-adjustable desks!"
Why We Should Sit Less
The NHS warns that prolonged sitting can slow metabolism, impact blood pressure, blood sugar, and fat breakdown. Studies have also linked sedentary lifestyles to increased risks of cancers, heart conditions, and type 2 diabetes. Clearly, sitting too much is a major health concern!
The Growing Popularity of Sit-Stand Desks
Dr. Edwardson’s research has generated a lot of media attention. In August 2022, The Times highlighted her work in an article titled "Work getting you down? Try standing up!" The article discussed how employees using ‘standing desks’ reported lower stress and less muscle pain, reinforcing the growing popularity of sit-stand desks.
As The Times pointed out, “Standing desks are proliferating across the nation’s offices, offering a great antidote to our sedentary lives.”
The trend didn’t stop there—The Independent, The Telegraph, and other outlets quickly picked up the story, and interest in sit-stand desks has continued to grow.
The Growth of ‘Standing Desks’
The popularity of standing desks is evident in the rising number of Google searches for ‘standing desks’ in the UK between 2017 and 2022. The demand for sit-stand solutions is clear, and it's no wonder why more people are embracing these workstations to improve their health!
Hope this article help you to decide a write approach toward wellbeing of the employees and help us to take informed decision which help overall organizational performance.
