The new corporate world in India: Why senior managers and CEO's are making the move to standing desks

CEOs sit, a lot. It is just a lot of time sitting, particularly if they are at a technology savvy company - phone calls, meetings, briefings, marketing work, sales, etc. take a toll. It reduces their fitness and increases the number of health risks when they spend a lot of time at their desk in the office. As such, the CEOs of many companies in Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Gurgaon and Bengaluru have been transitioning from desks where they can sit, to desks where they can stand or walk as everyone starts to be healthier in the office. Although the human body is designed for regular movement most of the adults spend a bulk of their time sitting.

Just imagine, what if, after achieving that goal and enjoying a couple of years of entrepreneurial freedom, you ended up in the hospital with a blown L5-S1 disc in your lower back. This along with the fact that you needed invasive spine surgery that was going to have you on the operating table for 6-hours and facing a recovery period of 6-months, to a year to fix it?

Many people go to the gym to counteract the long periods of sitting but research is suggesting that doesn’t really help counteract sitting. Thus, senior managers and CEOs of the cities mentioned above have decided to change their working environment for both health and productivity.

How standing desks benefit senior managers and CEO's?

Using a free standing desk keeps creativity and energy up, allowing them to power through even the toughest of challenges. Most importantly standing desk provides back relief compared to a sitting desk, allowing them to work longer hours.

• A standing desk actually helps get them out of the office earlier every day. Standing while at work makes them focus, get more stuff done in less time, and waste less time lounging around in the office chair.

• Many CEO's in Pune and Mumbai believe that their rounded approach to the workplace well being and their efforts to sit down less have delivered significant benefits as they have noted muscle strengthening and improvements to the back, on the whole, a combined effort of activity, the company’s healthy culture, treatment, and the desk.

• There are also identified additional benefits from the time they spend standing. They feel more engaged in what is going on around the office, and they also notice energy levels remaining good throughout the day. To sit less in a day plays a huge part in creating these important effects.

•  Most CEO's and senior managers in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai and Gurgaon feel that an active office environment delivers long term benefits, and those that make a commitment to sit less and stand more feel better and work more effectively. According to them, getting out of the sitting habit is something which everyone who works in an office environment should strongly consider.

Invest in a standing desk

Certainly, as CEOs, you spend the majority of your day either sitting in meetings or sitting at your desk taking phone calls and conducting business. You have an increased risk of diabetes, obesity and stress-related illness due to long hours of sitting. Upgrading your regular desk to a standing desk is a great switch for better health.

A standing desk can help you burn more calories during the day. In addition, a standing desk can help correct poor posture that develops from sitting and looking at a computer for the majority of the day.

Something as simple as standing up can have a dramatic and lasting impact - whether it’s long-term health benefits that are important to you, or just having more energy and focus during your time at the office.