Stand-Up Meetings: The Shortest Meeting Is a Standing One

Setting-based prevention without extra effort: Standing meetings systematically reduce sitting time and can be anchored as a WHP measure in the area of physical activity.

Why are discussions better when standing?

When you stand, you get to the point faster. Without the comfort of a chair, no one gets distracted, monologues are less frequent, and decisions are made earlier. This is no coincidence: standing signals to your mind that something important is happening and will continue shortly. Short, regular check-ins benefit the most from this.

What do standing meetings have to do with health?

Every meeting held while standing is one less sitting phase. With several short meetings a day, this adds up noticeably—without anyone having to "exercise." This very invisibility is its strength: the measure does not require a change in thinking about health, it simply changes the format.

How does it catch on by itself?

It's best to start with formats that are already short—the daily stand-up, the quick check-in. A high table or simply a room without chairs is enough. As soon as participants notice that they finish on time, the format spreads on its own. Of course, long, content-heavy meetings remain seated—it's about the many short ones in between. A good addition is the Best Practice Walk & Talk: The meeting on the move.