Standing Desks: An American Tradition Stand-up desks are becoming trendy in Silicon Valley and elsewhere. But they’re not really a new idea. In fact, stand-up desks used to be much more common.

The Times recently spoke with six women who started stand-up comedy later in life. Their big takeaway: Stand-up comedy is a unique artform because anyone can do it as long as they’re funny.

When employees stand, they deliver. That, at least, is the implication of a new study of workers who sit all the time versus those who use standing-capable desks. Stand-up desks have been gaining ...