Apple CEO Tim Cook is trying to help his employees solve a major health crisis.
In an interview with The Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein on Bloomberg this week, Cook, who has said that “sitting is the new cancer,” thinks standing in the office is important, and at his company’s new Apple Park headquarters, which houses 12,000 of the company’s employees, Apple has given every worker a standing desk. Cook said that if employees stand for a while when they work, sit down, and go back to standing, it’s far better for their health than sitting all day in an office.
Cook’s comments come at a time when the sedentary lifestyle is becoming an increasingly concerning phenomenon in the U.S. workplace. Employees sit all day long, go home, and sit some more. All of that, experts say, can contribute to weight gain and a variety of health problems that could ultimately shorten your life.
Several companies are now offering standing desks to get people to sit less and stand more. Even Apple Watch, the company’s smartwatch, reminds you to stand up after you’ve been sitting for too long.
The standing desks are just one of many perks employees get at Apple Park. The headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., has walking trails and outdoor seating areas for employees to get some fresh air. It also features a state-of-the-art fitness facility that employees can use whenever they want. Each employee also has a $1,200 desk chair made by Vitra.