Accounting Today recently gave UpDesk standing desks a shoutout in an article on an accounting firm that encourages the use of standing computer desks in their office. Montgomery Coscia Greilich LLP is a Top-100 firm in Plano Texas. But the company's enthusiasm for standing isn't limited to office furniture.
Co-managing partner Tom Montgomery explains in the article that he asks his employees to stand during conference room meetings: "I found that our meetings in the standing conference room were twice as productive and took half as much time." Montgomery then explains why this philosophy translates from faster meetings in the conference room to more productivity in the office space: "You get to the point where you go in and you sit down. You get comfortable your metabolism doesn't get going you're not on top of your game and then you just start going through the motions."
Montgomery Coscia Greilich LLP didn't get to be a top-100 accounting firm without being smart with their money so instead of immediately replacing all 308 desks in the office they offered a $100 subsidy to employees who wanted to order a standing desk. Nearly 100 employees took them up on the offer. Montgomery explains that new standing desks come in about every other day now. This is a result of employees seeing how their co-workers benefit from their new office desks.
Much of the employee buy-in centers around the well-documented health benefits of standing desks. The article points out that "some hope that they will burn more calories while others are focused on balancing their stance." Montgomery is thrilled about those advantages but for him the benefits also extend to the health of the firm's bottom line. He's finding his employees to be more engaged with their daily work. This adds to the type of atmosphere he wants to create at Montgomery Coscia Greilich - a workplace atmosphere that's passionate enthusiastic and dynamic.
With a topic that's as trendy and new as the standing desk there are bound to be questions about its longevity. Montgomery addresses this in the Accounting Today article. He points to the balance ball - which many of his employees have used to improve their balance: "There are huge health benefits to that but at the same time it is very hard to do detailed work that we need to do on the computers and manually when you're on a balance ball." He sees the same issue with treadmill desks.
Adding UpDesk standing desks to your office space may not transform your company into a top-100 firm overnight. But it's sure to increase health productivity and energy. To see the great options we have check out our website! We've even got some new funky desks for those who are looking to add a little trendiness to the practicality of their standing desk.
