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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 H E A LT H Y B U S I N E S S muscles, and delivers nutrients throughout your body and removes metabolic wastes, explains Alan Hedge, professor in the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell University. Standing in the same position for hours at a time can cause problems of its own, he says. It can increase the risks of varicose veins, puts greater strain on the circulatory system in the legs and feet, and it requires about 20% more energy than sitting. So it burns a few more calories, but is more tiring. Indeed, the fi rst day Lewis had her standing sta- tion coincided with a rare day that her calendar was clear of meetings — and opportunities to sit down. At the end of the day, her legs hurt. "I was standing for eight hours, and I thought, 'What did I do?'" she says. Now she has plenty of meetings and opportunities to vary her position and posture. And she looks for opportunities to stand whenever she can. "I have really enjoyed it and defi nitely wouldn't go back," she says. Hedge suggests building more movement into every work day. If you are sitting, do so at a height- adjustable downward tilting keyboard tray. en, every 20 minutes take a posture break — stand for eight minutes and move for two minutes. Even just walking around is suffi cient to get the benefi ts: Take the stairs, walk to the bathroom, step outside from the building for a few minutes, you'll feel the diff erence. A ripple effect As cries that "sitting is the new smoking" have mounted, sales of desks that give workers the fl exibility to stand or sit have prospered. Standing desk maker Varidesk started two years ago with two employees and now has 64 employees and its products are in 60 countries. e company's products are in 70% of all Fortune 500 companies. e desks, which start around $300, are par- ticularly popular in Maine, says Brad Shipp, public relations manager for the Dallas-based company. ough the company doesn't disclose sales, he says that Maine has one of the highest rates of standing desks per capita in the country. "It really plays to the psychographics of the Maine resident," says Shipp. "People in Maine really understand that movement is important. ere's an emphasis on health." Standing while working tends to be contagious in offi ce environments, he adds. "You'll have an early adopter suddenly standing at their desk. en people come over and ask, 'What is this and why are you standing?'" he says. "We fi nd that once an offi ce orders one of our products, you begin to see a sort of ripple eff ect within that offi ce, and see multiple orders." Happier, healthier employees About a year ago, Kleinschmidt, a Pittsfi eld-based consultancy that provides engineering, regulatory and environmental services to the hydroelectric industry, started off ering Varidesk units to its employees, along with other tools to help make their work stations more ergonomically correct, like headsets to staff members who spend a lot of time on the phone and keyboards of all shapes and sizes. Now, about 20 of the company's 128 employees stand up while they work. While it's too early to tell — and they may never know — what kind of impact the standing desks have on health care premiums, they are already seeing a more enduring benefi t. "People are less tired and have more energy," says Renea Qua, facilities manager for Kleinschmidt. "Hap- pier employees with more energy are more productive employees." at, she adds, "results in happier clients." Susan Ouellette, Kleinschmidt's director of human resources, says standing relieved the shoul- der pain that she had experienced while sitting at her desk. While sitting, she noticed that it was easy to hunch over and even tense up her shoulders and back. "My shoulder didn't like that at all," she says. "I found that standing really helped." Hall Marketing, a Portland marketing fi rm, got standing desks a year ago, and now about half of the staff stands while they work. Some team members have noticed improvements in back pain, posture, and they got an energy boost from being able to move around more, especially after lunch, company offi cials say. Dockendorf says that her investment in sit-to- stand stations helps buoys morale. "I think it comes down to culture and ethos," says Dockendorf. "Standing and being more active creates a healthier work environment. And when you show you care about your individual team members' needs and lifestyle choices that helps fos- ter long-term employees." J e n n i f e r Van A l l e n, a w r i te r ba s e d i n Ya r m o u t h , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t e d i t o r i a l @ m a i n e b i z . b i z We're here. We're local. We're independent... Employee Benefits Team PAQUIN & CARROLL INSURANCE www.insurancepc.com Toll free: 800-287-1486 ...and we won't drop the ball. We're there when it matters most with friendly, trusted insurance advice. We can help you find the most affordable health care plan with no additional cost to you or your company. Give Dan, Claire or Tori a call today! Home | Business | Auto | Employee Benefits Biddeford • Kennebunk • Saco • Westbrook Dan Cote Claire Ganter Tori Nelder www.gawronturgeon.com

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