Health chief Matt Hancock is a standing desk convert

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says every business should encourage employees to use sit-stand desks, just like him.

“I know from personal experience that having a standing desk can help you get some exercise and improve your productivity at work,” the UK’s Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock told the ISPAH global conference on physical activity this week.

He urged employers to offer staff the chance to use standing desks like our Yo-Yo Desk® in order raise activity levels and avoid the health risks of sedentary working habits.

“Workplaces can make a difference: encouraging breaks, offering standing desks, having standing meetings - which in my experience tend to finish quicker too,” Mr Hancock said.

He also encouraged GPs, schools and parents to take action on the national inactivity crisis: “Our message should be that movement is medicine.”

Musculoskeletal problems are to blame for nine million lost working days every year, with increasing numbers of desk-bound staff suffering health problems exacerbated by spending too much time seated.

In addition to the physical benefits of adopting sit-stand working practices, the mental health benefits are also proven. Staff who alternate between sitting and standing report greater productivity, creativity and motivation, as well as reduced stress and fatigue.

A study of NHS workers reported in the BMJ last week established that those using standing desks were happier and healthier, reporting less anxiety, raised energy levels, greater levels of engagement and improved job performance.

Mr Hancock’s call to action is reported in the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and Metro among others.