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Workstations that give employees the option to stand or sit while working will become standard issue as Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union moves into a new corporate office in June and updates its branches.
A few of the 150 employees at the $680 million credit union already have desks that convert to a standing position, including CUES member and SVP/Chief Strategy Officer Jill Vicente, who made the switch in early 2015 (see photo at right).
“Personally, I love the desk. I’ve noticed less tension in my back, more energy and I’m generally more focused when standing,” says Vicente, who especially appreciates being able to start her work day standing at her desk after an hour commute.
Giving employees this option is supported by research about the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle. A 2010 report from the American Cancer Society warned that women who sat for six or more hours daily were 40 percent more likely to die over the 14 years of the study than women who sat for less than three hours a day; the differential among male subjects was 20 percent. Other follow-up studies have found that sitting for long periods slows metabolism and calorie burning, increasing the risks for obesity and diabetes.
“The key is getting the desk and computer monitor to the right height and having a cushioned pad to stand on,” Vicente notes. “If the height is off, it can cause neck pain. Also, I sometimes find myself standing for too long, which comes with its own set of issues. All in all, I like the option of standing when I want to.”
Seattle Metropolitan CU is working with JPC Architects, Bellevue, Wash., to design and equip its new headquarters, renovate its branches, and introduce staff to their new workstations. The design firm supplies specialists who guide employees to learn about setting their workstations to the optimal standing height.
Vicente has a small tick mark on her office wall to help align her desk properly when she switches from seated to standing position. “I sit in meetings a lot throughout the day, so it’s nice to have the option to stand in my office,” she says. “And when I’m standing and going through email and reports, I feel like I tend to get things done more quickly.”
It can be challenging to establish a new routine and remember that you have the option to stand, she adds. “And you have to be willing to move around. This flexibility has shed a whole new light on how I spend time in my office.”
