The scientific studies and tech blogs are abuzz with the theory that standing is the new ergonomic chair. Apparently people who stand at work are healthier and burn more calories than those who sit. The benefits also extend to the creative mind, which seems to more freely produce ideas when the body escapes the confines of a chair
Many people, when caught up in a conundrum, start tapping a foot or fidgeting with something. Evidently there are mental perks associated with taking that nervous energy a bit further while standing.
If you want to stand up, it’s going to cost you. Motorized desks with variable heights are expensive, and at the top end of the phenomenon is a desk treadmill that appeared on the market a couple of years ago when studies revealed that light exercise increased productivity.
Fortunately, commercial AV is a field where standing is part of the job. Site visits, rack assembly, and even trips to the warehouse offer a chance to move around a bit. But during those inevitable long stretches of desk time, if budgets won’t allow for a fancy motorized desk, you can benefit from these notions. According to standing research, many motorized desk users elevate their work surfaces when they are faced with a challenging task. The next time that happens, consider putting your laptop on a bookshelf or on top of the fax machine and stand up for a minute.
So now the question becomes, what do you stand for? There are certain tasks and concerns that really matter to individuals within your company, or your company as a whole. Those are probably the values listed in your company mission statement. Now might be a good time to take a look at that framed plaque on the wall. Does it still make sense?
The fretfully verbose mission statement is certainly commonplace, and I’ve spoken to a number of people in the industry who have revised this piece of their business more than once. Revision is necessary when the words in the statement are empty, or the statement merely presents a dead end for personnel. These ideals should express an open-ended and active stance that encourages your team to move forward.
Leading up to its show in Las Vegas June 9-11, InfoComm has been promoting its revised mission statement: “To advance audiovisual communications globally.” There aren’t a lot of words there, but it’s easy to see where the association stands.
A lot of companies in our industry have been through a similar process of revision in these trying years. They’ve had to redefine who they are, narrow their focus, and keep their business going with a clear mission. Now they can hopefully sit comfortably, knowing where they stand.
