Common questions from employers
Are treadmill desks and bike desks safe?
We have taken great care to incorporate many safety features into our products and we feel that by following our guidelines for room placement and operation your employees will always stay safe. Our Treadmill Desks are preset with lower speed limits, sound alerts, and automatic shut-off is not being used for 20 seconds. But these are just a few of our safety features. We also work with your HR department to ensure they have all the training necessary to safely implement our treadmill and bike desks into your work culture. But really, staying active and healthy is much more safe in the long run than being inactive and sedentary in the office. For more detailed information on our product safety, click here
Can employees walk or pedal and still perform work-related tasks at the same time?
Absolutely, but there are some ways to use the equipment that are better fits with specific workday activities than others. For example, deep concentration activities such as writing a proposal or working on a report might be best done while sitting or standing; while light to medium intensity activities such as participating on a conference call, reading and answering email, or making minor adjustments to spreadsheets and word-processing documents can be performed with ease while simultaneously walking or pedaling. These are just guidelines though. It’s important to explore adding movement to the workday in the way that is best for each individual user.
Will employees perspire?
LifeSpan treadmill desks and bike desks are designed to allow employees to move effortlessly. When using a factory default preset speed of 2 mph or less and wearing appropriate footwear while using a treadmill desk, exertion should be minimal. LifeSpan bike desks are purposely designed to be low-resistance so that users can pedal casually without needing to use much force.
Are there benefits from just moving without vigorous exercise?
Of course. Users may experience reduced back and neck pain, higher energy levels, easier weight management and increased productivity levels when working simply from adding casual movement throughout their workday. If you are looking for more information about the benefits of moving more at work, including case studies, click here
Are LifeSpan treadmill desks or bike desks noisy and distracting?
Although LifeSpan products aren’t completely silent when in use, they’re pretty close! Users will find that they are no more distracting than other sources of white noise, such as the hum of a fan, the ring of a desk phone, or an office printer running in the background. To download a copy of our Noise Levels / Power Draw pdf, click here
Do employees need to wear special footwear when using a treadmill or bike desk?
We recommend walking or pedaling in comfortable shoes, but it’s not necessary to wear only athletic-type footwear. Depending on the walking speed selected, users will find that walking on a treadmill desk can be a somewhat leisurely activity. If the user plans to do a lot of walking throughout the workday, or if they have sensitive feet, they might prefer to keep a pair of comfortable walking shoes nearby to change into.
Is there an adjustment period and what is the right amount of standing, walking or pedaling?
The user should gradually add movement until they find the right balance between sitting and moving. If they try to walk all day when they have been mostly sitting, they’re feet, legs or back might ache as their muscles strain to keep up with a demand they aren’t used to. We recommend that 25-50% of the work day include varied movements such as standing with a mat or an Aero balance board, walking on a treadmill desk, or using a bike desk. We also include information with our onboarding to help educate your employees about usage time as they build up their activity levels.
Do you have financing available?
Yes, we have financing options to meet any budget. We offer short term loans and lines of credit. For more details, please click here.
Are your workstations ADA regulations compliant?
Yes, our products meet these standards. All of our height adjustable desks have three-tiered support legs which allow for lowered settings to accommodate a proper height for wheelchairs and electric assist scooters. The frame is also wide enough to allow wheelchair access with a minimum width of 30.875”. Our pre-designed room layouts also accommodate the minimum standard of 5% (1 in 20) of desks being compliant. Complete desk requirements here.
Do your workstations meet the WELL v2 Certification for Movement?
Yes, converting your existing workstations, meeting room tables, and common area tables, with products from our ergonomic line of workstations can help you check many of the boxes in the WELL v2 Certification Movement requirements. Our height adjustable desks, anti-fatigue balance boards and mats, treadmill desks, bike desks, and bike tables can help meet the points standard in Movement under V02 Ergonomic Workstation Design part 2 and part 4, and under V07 Active Furnishings part 1 (tier 1 and 2). In addition, our treadmill desks with built-in distance, time, and step tracking can meet V10 Self-Monitoring requirements. Complete WELL v2, Q4 2022 requirements here. For a full list of the benefits of investing in the WELL Certified program click here.