The Treadmill Desk

I have recently had the distinct opportunity to provide a service for a new manufacturer of the much-touted treadmill desk. While LifeSpan has dominated this technology, other companies have tried hard to compete. I have been increasingly amazed that major commercial manufacturers ignore this new technology. I will not divulge the company that I did service for, but my sentiments remain. The old saying goes that a person can not walk and chew gum at the same time...but they can walk on a treadmill, no matter the max speed, and complete work? I am an experienced athlete. I walked on this treadmill desk for a few minutes and concentrated on simply hanging on, but there are no handles!! Bottom line is that if something goes wrong, the user falls and generates a work comp claim that would ordinarily not be present. While I agree that sedentary works hurts, adding a dimension that some people simply aren't capable of can hurt them even more. And, insurance companies are always looking for reasons to deny claims. This gives them a perfect reason. My bottom line? Give your employees times to work out at a gym or company gym. Most corporations I have dealt with have either incorporated a company gym, where users are allocated time to workout, or, are given credit for outside gym use. A desk where an employee is expected to take calls, etc and be able to perform motor skills is a recipe for disaster.