Every year at Veritas we try to invest in a new thing that could help our team. It could be things to make us more productive or something to simply make the working environment more enjoyable.

New recruitment software, state of the art chairs for better posture, an indoor beer garden, super-fast internet and gym memberships have all been things we’ve implemented in recent times.

But 2017 has seen the introduction of the standing desk to Veritas HQ.

 

Which Desk & Why

Much has been made of the health dangers that apparently occur as a result of sitting at our desks all day.  By all accounts, ‘Sitting is the new smoking’.

But would they work for us?

As recruiters we are often stood up on the mobiles so did we actually need a standing desk?

Would a standing desk take away that enjoyment of that little sit down with a coffee after the morning commute whilst looking at Business Desk and pretending to do some work…?

What about those who are terribly inconvenienced when they are stood up but need to crouch down to check a candidates CV on the screen or double-confirm the latest company news on a potential client we are about to call?!

With so many ‘Ifs’ and ‘buts’ we decided to go for an adjustable option to cover all bases and please everyone.

A 30 day trial began.

 

Did they help?

 No-one in the office suffers from back pain so we weren’t looking to remedy any ailments. It was more to see if they generally had a positive effect based on an individual’s preference for their working style.

Personally I found the desks helped with the afternoon lull. Sitting after lunch used to make me feel lethargic; particularly if I’ve committed ‘carbo-cide’ with my meal choices! Standing after lunch has pretty much wiped that out and it’s the same for our team.

Those in the office with health tracking watches have reported that they burn far more daily calories now that it has become easier to do all of their work when stood up.

Generally, having the option to sit or stand has been positive. It’s made us feel more energised and I think the simple fact we have shaken up something as normal as sitting at your desk has been a good thing.

One downside is that they don’t look fantastic but we think the benefits outweigh the aesthetics. We care about those who join us and if having the option to stand at work will make for a healthier, happier team then we are all for it.

Needless to say we have kept the desks and will be adding more as we continue to grow.

The only worry now is where do we go from here? I’ve already thought of that…