The Harmoni stand was designed in Japan with the aim of satisfying two of our most fundamental desires; to be healthy and to be productive. With our attractive, minimalist design, we have created a standing-to-work solution that is suitable for all offices and workspaces.
The health effects of sedentary working
Sitting for long periods of time (as at work) significantly increases
the risk of:
- Thrombosis (blood clots)
- Stroke
- Depression
- Musculoskeletal disorders and pain
- Metabolic problems
A Columbia University study also found that sedentary workers have a nearly two-fold greater risk of death than those who sit in 30-minute stretches. This increase in mortality is independent of physical activity level.
This has led Dr James Levine, Professor at the Mayo Clinic, to declare that “sitting is the new smoking”. Employees are aware of the dangers of sedentary work and thus the Harmoni stand can enhance the happiness and workplace satisfaction of an increasingly health-conscious workforce.
Standing-to-work boosts health and productivity, creating tangible benefits for businesses and their employees
Standing increases blood flow to the brain, supplying it with an increase in oxygen-rich red blood cells, and this is proven to boost energy levels and enhance concentration. Indeed, research from the Texas A&M Health Science Centre found switching to standing could increase productivity by 46%. The success of any business is contingent on the effectiveness and productivity of its workforce, Harmoni enables companies to get the most out of their employees and thereby enhances business performance.
All businesses may soon be required to provide standing desks for their employees, Harmoni is the most cost-effective, and least disruptive way to meet this requirement
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (1992) and the European Directive on display screen work (1993) already obligate UK employers to provide desks that are height-adjustable. It is increasingly looking as though these regulations may be updated to require employers to offer standing desks. Over 80% of Scandinavian businesses offer standing desks, and they are already a mandatory requirement in Denmark. In June 2015, a statement supported by Public Health England (PHE), stated that employers must “promote the avoidance of prolonged periods of sedentary work”, and concluded that office-based workers should aim for a minimum of two to four hours standing over the course of the working day. Consequently, major businesses including Intel, Sky, Zenith, Google and Facebook, Apple, Yahoo, AOL and the BBC are already offering standing desks to their employees.
Harmoni is the most affordable, and least disruptive way to introduce standing-to-work into your workplace. The Harmoni stand is made up of four carefully carved pieces of wood that slot smoothly and effortlessly together, no screws or glue are necessary, so it can be assembled in less than a minute. As the stand is so easy to assemble and disassemble, there is no need to fork out on hefty installation fees, it can be assembled by any employee and put away when not in use.