7.3.8. Workplace programmes targeted at sedentary behaviours

This intervention is modelled as an employer-sponsored programme to discourage sitting in the workplace by making sit-stand workstations and treadmill desks available to employees.

Based on the reviewed evidence [Chu et al., 2016 [11]], this type of environmental intervention is expected to reduce sitting time by 72.78 min per eight-hour workday. For those concerned, it is assumed that this reduction will be achieved gradually within a year, after which the amount of sitting time will be maintained at a lower level until the individuals retire or become unemployed, whichever is sooner.

It is assumed that only full-time employees (aged 18-65 years) who work in service industries and in medium and large enterprises are potentially eligible for the intervention, and that, in line with the OECD analysis [Sassi, Cecchini, Lauer and Chisholm, 2009 [53]], 50% of such enterprises will choose to participate, offering their employees the opportunity to benefit from standing desks. The evidence on the participation of potentially eligible employees is not easily available. According to [Chu et al., 2016 [11]], the largest drop-out rate among the initially recruited programme participants was 62% in a study by [Pronk, Katz, Lowry and Payfer, 2012 [48]], which suggests that at least 38% of participants may be potential long-term users. Furthermore, it is assumed that about 10% of eligible employees are not willing to try using the desks even once. Therefore, conservatively, it is assumed that only about one-third of eligible employees (i.e. 34%) are willing to participate in the programme for a sufficiently long period of time. In addition, it is assumed that employees who do not join the intervention at the start will not join it in the future. In subsequent years, new people are added to the eligible pool only if they are employed for the first time and are aged between 18 and 65. In addition, if a person who was initially selected becomes unemployed, the person can only participate again in the case of re-employment.

The main intervention cost is the cost of equipment such as adjustable stand up desks, which can vary widely. Conservatively, a price at the higher range is assumed, at EUR 500 (about USD 570) up-front per desk. A further assumption is made that such desks will last for 10 years and that they will be used individually (i.e. that desks are not shared between employees). In this case, the annual cost varies between USD PPP 43 and USD PPP 144 per target person, or USD PPP 1.08-2.09 per capita across the countries included in the analysis. It is assumed that the governments will buy such desks for their employees, or will provide subsidies to the industry to buy such desks for private-sector workers. No other costs are assumed.