by Brianna Crandall — June 12, 2013—Winner of the Silver Award for Technology Support in the Best of NeoCon Competition at the NeoCon 2013 contract furnishings show in June, the VARIDESK stand-up desk was created to be an affordable, easy-to use product that turns a traditional desk into a height-adjustable desk, allowing users to sit or stand as desired in order to increase health and productivity.
In the month prior to its official launch at NeoCon 2013 in Chicago, this new line of VARIDESK adjustable height stand-up desks has found its way onto desktops at some of the country’s most forward-thinking companies, and initial customers are reporting fewer aches and pains often associated with prolonged sitting, seeing more productivity and feeling more energetic when they stand up throughout the workday.
VARIDESK, which comes fully assembled for the simplest of setups, rests atop existing desks and makes it easy for users to turn their sitting desk into a stand-up desk, and back, in seconds. By squeezing the handles on each side of the upper portion of the VARIDESK, users can raise the desk to work from a standing position at intervals throughout the day. Squeezing the handles and lightly pushing down will return the VARIDESK to a lower position so users can work while sitting down.
These ergonomic desks are currently available in three sizes to accommodate a laptop setup or single or dual monitors on the upper portion of the desk, which easily moves up and down to adjust to various heights. Additionally, a free desktop or smartphone app can be used to remind users to stand periodically and also tracks the additional calories that are burned throughout the day by standing vs. sitting.
VARIDESK cites research studies that show that sitting at a desk for more than six hours a day has a very real, very negative impact on the health of employees and employers alike:
- The risk of heart attack is on par with people who smoke at least one pack of cigarettes per day.
- The more people sit, the shorter their average life span, independent of their level of physical activity or exercise outside of work.
- Sitting for the majority of the day increases overall risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes.
- Leg muscles immediately become inactive, calorie burning drops dramatically, and the ability to break down fat drops by a staggering 90 percent.
Studies also show that employees feel more productive, more focused and less fatigued when they are able to stand up while working, says VARIDESK. And knowing their employer offers options like this can often help boost morale and engagement in the workplace.
Dallas-based parent company Gemmy Industries says that the product is appealing to a broad swath of workplaces, from call centers and law firms, to universities and municipalities, to design and architecture firms. VARIDESK has already attracted the attention of companies like The Container Store headquarters in Dallas, and Viverae, a health management company dedicated to finding wellness solutions for companies. Each company reportedly started their order with just a few test products and quickly added more based on interest and response by employees.
Update 1/6/22: Varidesk is now named Vari. Visit the Vari website for updated product information.
