The Case for Treadmill Workstations

“Outside of a career change, is there anything you can do to reduce your chair time and increase your activity level? You might talk to your boss about installing a treadmill workstation, allowing you to do your work standing on a slow-moving treadmill,” Consumer Affairs reports.

“These workstations have been shown to help employees increase their activity level and burn more calories. But on your company’s tight budget, how can you convince your supervisor that this workstation is worth the investment?”

“You might start by telling them about a new study by researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington, the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota. The researchers suggest that employees who use these workstations not only benefit from improved health but the company benefits from improved productivity.”

“Desk-bound employees at a financial services company were enlisted for the study. Their workstations were outfitted with a treadmill desk. The surface could be raised or lowered with the touch of a button. Whether the employees worked sitting down or standing up and walking was entirely up to them. However, all were wired with an accelerometer that kept track of their daily calories burned. At the end of 52 weeks, the employees averaged burning 74 more calories per day than before the workstations were installed. That’s all well and good, but is it enough reason for an employer to go to the expense of installing these more treadmill workstations?”

The New York Times also has a great piece on treadmill desks.