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If your employees stand at desks to complete their jobs, it may be important to look into these environments to make sure they are designed in a way that is ergonomic, comfortable, and safe for your employees. As you make changes to these standing workstations, here are some tips that may help you create the best environments possible for your valued workers.

The Design of the Desk Is Important

Standing up all day can be tiresome and can put strain on a person's body, but if you have the desks set up correctly, this stress is minimized. If you are looking for new standing desks to purchase from an office furniture company, keep these features in mind:

• The height of the desk should be level with the employee's elbows. This may mean that you will need to measure your employees, or you could look for standing desks that are adjustable.
• Choose the right surface design for the top of the desk. Standing desks can either have flat surfaces (like a traditional desk), or they can have tops that are slanted. If your employees work on computers, choosing a flat desk is better, but if they complete drawings, for example, a slanted top might be a better option.

Choosing the right desk is important, but setting up the equipment properly is also vital.

You Must Set Up Equipment Correctly

In many cases, people that use standing workstations are employees that work on computers for a good part of the day. If this is the case, you should make sure that these devices are set up in a way that is ergonomic, and you can do this by:

• Positioning the monitor at eye level – The first step is making sure that the top of the computer screen is level with the employee's eyes. By doing this, the employee will not be straining his or her neck or back to look at the screen.
• Placing the mouse and keyboard near the employee – The second thing to think about is the positioning of the mouse and keyboard. It is better to place these things directly on the top of the desk, rather than having a slide-out tray for the mouse and keyboard.

In addition to these steps, it's always important to give your employees ways to feel comfortable when they get tired.

You Can Add Additional Features

There are three main things you should consider having at each workstation, and each of these will help your employees feel more comfortable.

1. Foot stool – It is quite normal for people to get tired when standing for long periods, and that is why each standing workstation should have a foot rest of some type underneath it. When a worker feels tired, he or she could relieve some of the pressure by placing one foot on elevated stool.
2. Anti-fatigue mat – You should also invest in anti-fatigue mats for each workstation. If your employees do not have the luxury of wearing comfortable, supportive tennis shoes, standing on a mat like this can help relieve pain or pressure. These mats are often made of rubber or vinyl, and they reduce the amount of stress and fatigue on a person's feet.
3. Stool to sit on – Even though your employees will stand most of the day, you may want to provide them with stools to sit on periodically. The stools should be tall enough to allow them to comfortably work at their stations when they decide to sit down.

There are many benefits of standing workstations, but these benefits are only advantageous when the workstations are designed properly. Standing is better for back posture, and it increases muscle activity and burns calories.

If you would like to overhaul your current workstations, contact a company that sells office furniture like D and R Office Works, Inc.. This is a great place to start, and you will find a lot of great ideas that may help your employees feel more comfortable and work more effectively.