"A modern office environment is not complete today without an electric height adjustable desk." Thomas Schumacher, Agency Operation Coordinator at Maersk Germany, is convinced that a sit-stand workstation is an indispensable feature in today's office.
Mr. Schumacher assisted with the relocation of the Danish shipping company’s new German headquarters. Maersk has moved into a new building at the heart of Hafencity, Hamburg's renowned commercial district. The Group's new premises take up over three floors of 4,000 square metres in the Ericus Contor.
There are many good reasons why all workstations are height adjustable.
"Even before we relocated, 40 percent of our workstations had integrated sit-stand desks. Employees regularly came to us, inquiring about the possibility of having an electric height adjustable desk", reports Mr. Schumacher.
Up until the relocation, Maersk had the same policy on this issue as many other companies in Germany: an electric height adjustable desk was provided to employees suffering from back problems and on recommendation from the company doctor. With the company's relocation and a new interior design, Maersk made the decision to provide all its employees with an ergonomic workstation that included a height adjustable desk option.
One factor that obviously contributed to this decision was that the sit-stand workstation has been a standard feature in the Scandinavian workplace environment for many years. In Denmark alone, 95 percent of all workplaces are fitted with sit-stand workstations.
German and Danish functional design
The company's Danish roots not only played a role in terms of ergonomics, but also in design. The emphasis was on creating a light, contemporary design. The German office furniture and furnishing manufacturer, WINI, offered the right design combined with the right technology. Maersk opted for the WINEA ECO desk system.
WINI has been using LINAK technology in its electric adjustment components for many years. Alongside reliable technology and high quality of its lifting columns, LINAK delivers convincing features such as the PIEZO™ anti-collision mechanism and power-saving consumption in standby mode.
In keeping with the customer's wishes, the design is discreet and light. All desks are white, including the tabletop and the frame. Colour is added in the numerous conference and meeting areas. In addition to the traditional rectangular desks, Maersk has also integrated so-called DUO workstations into their Hamburg offices. These space-saving DUO workstations are particularly beneficial for the company's many meeting areas, which Maersk sees as an integral part of its working environment.
"Our colleagues like to use our meeting rooms and work lounge areas for quick discussions. These areas are also ideal if an employee needs a quiet space to concentrate and work on new, creative ideas for a project", explains Thomas Schumacher.
A valuable investment
A company should only consider investing in an ergonomic workstation if their employees are willing to get the most out of their active healthy working environment. A sit-stand desk is only beneficial if employees work by alternating between both standing and sitting positions.
"Many of our employees are extremely willing to use their sit-stand workstations actively", comments Schumacher.
"Some employees alternate between sitting and standing while others generally prefer to work standing up and will seldom sit down".
Many young colleagues especially, regard a sit-stand workstation as an indispensable feature in the office. What is more, young people expect an ergonomic workplace, so for them an electric height-adjustable desk is an essential item.
