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Building BeUpstanding 2.0 together: new research reports on our user-centred design process

BeUpstanding Stories

For regular readers of this blog, you know that the national implementation trial showed that BeUpstanding works to support workers to sit less and move more and create a supportive culture for change. But we didn’t stop with that success. We wanted to know how do we make BeUpstanding not just effective, but easier to run, easier to scale, and easier to sustain? Our new study explores how we worked with all our end users to help answer those questions – and how a user-centred design (UCD) process helped evolve BeUpstanding into a more flexible and future-ready version of itself: BeUpstanding 2.0. Why redesign a program that already works? The national implementation trial showed that BeUpstanding does what it sets out to do: help workers sit less and move more. But it also surfaced a very practical barrier for workplaces: Running the program across more than one team was harder than it needed to be. Managers wanted an easy way to run and monitor the program across multiple teams. Champions wanted more training and weekly guidance. Hybrid work had changed the way teams connected. And everyone wanted clearer, simpler ways to keep people engaged. Rather than patching around the edges,…

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What strategies should workers do to sit less and move more?

BeUpstanding Stories

Walking meeting? Lunch away from the desk? Stretch breaks? We know from our national implementation trial that BeUpstanding works to help workers to sit less and move more (see our previous blog post to find out more). However, it is unclear just which strategies workers used to sit less and move more. We also wanted to find out how strategy usage changed following intervention, and how this related to changes in work activity and sitting. Are some strategies better than others? Our recent article from our BeUpstanding national implementation trial examined these questions. What did we do? In BeUpstanding, staff are asked to complete surveys before and at the end of the 8-week program. As part of these surveys, they are asked to report on their sitting and activity behaviours at work, including their percentage of worktime sitting and moving, and the percentage of work sitting that is accrued in bouts of 30 minutes or more (what we consider “prolonged sitting”). They are also asked to report on their usage (from never to always/nearly always) of 21 sit less / move more strategies, with 13 of these strategies emphasising the ‘move more’ component. These strategies may or may not be the…

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Who is accessing the BeUpstanding website – and what are they doing?

BeUpstanding Stories

While we have been busy incorporating insights from the BeUpstanding implementation trial into the development of BeUpstanding 2.0, our original platform has remained publicly accessible. Without active promotion during this period, we became curious: how are people still finding us—and what are they doing when they get here? To answer this, we reviewed and analysed website data from the past 12 months (March 12, 2024 – March 12, 2025). This snapshot gives us insights into what’s working, what could improve, and how to better prepare for the next phase. Who Are We Reaching? The data shows that over 75% of users are from Australia, with a high concentration in major metropolitan areas like Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. But beyond the big cities, it’s worth celebrating that users from regional and remote parts of Australia are also engaging with the platform. This broad spread confirms that BeUpstanding continues to serve a truly national audience. Internationally, we’ve seen growing interest from the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and China. While these countries currently represent a small percentage of our total traffic, their consistent presence suggests promising opportunities for global engagement in the future. How Are Users Finding Us? Most users accessed the…

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Just who is reading this blog anyway?

BeUpstanding Stories

This blog was designed to be a one stop shop for all the evidence, resources, tools and tips to help you and your team to sit less and move more at work. But who is actually reading it? Using Google Analytics, we have been able to take a closer look at who has engaged with our content over the past 12 months and how they’re interacting with it. Who is reading?  According to the latest analytics, the BeUpstanding blog was visited by users from over 50 countries in the past year. For the first time, more than half of the readership came from outside Australia. While Australia remains the top country by traffic (with 2,813 users, accounting for 42% of the total), we’ve seen growing engagement from the United States (21%), Hong Kong (10%), the United Kingdom, China, and Canada, among others. This shift is more than a statistical fluctuation—it reflects how the research, stories, and strategies we share are resonating with a global audience. The BeUpstanding blog is evolving into a content platform that not only supports toolkit users but also connects researchers, policymakers, and health advocates around the world. Zooming in on our Australian readers Over the past year,…

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Trial findings are out for BeUpstanding! (hint – it works!)

BeUpstanding Stories

The main findings of the BeUpstanding trial have now been published! You can read the scientific paper here, see a summary of the findings in the video, or read more about it below. Evaluating BeUpstanding in a world-first implementation trial The evidence-based BeUpstanding program has been iteratively developed and tested across multiple phases in collaboration with end users and key policy and practice stakeholder. A key phase of this process was the national implementation trial of the program. From June 2019 to September 2021, we recruited desk-based teams from across Australia into trial, which was funded through the NMMRC Partnership Project grant scheme, and supported by our partners: Safe Work Australia, Comcare, Queensland Office of Industrial Relations, The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), and Healthier Workplace Western Australia. For teams, the main feature of taking part in the trial (as distinct from using the program independently) was committing to the evaluation steps and receipt of expert health coaching support to deliver the program via email and phone calls. Trial teams were also followed up at 1-year after running the program. In the trial, we were interested in questions such as: What is the uptake of the program among workplaces and staff?…

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What Strategies do Desk-Based Workers Choose to Reduce Their Musculoskeletal Discomfort in Their Lower Backs? 

BeUpstanding Stories

Are you a desk-worker struggling to alleviate your lower back pain? If yes, you are part of a growing movement of workers looking for ways to relieve musculoskeletal discomfort. In this article, we will explore evidence from the BeUpstanding program, highlighting the strategies that desk-based workers use to prevent or manage their discomfort in their lower backs. The risks of prolonged sitting in the workplace Sitting for long, unbroken periods has been shown to be detrimental to overall health, including an increased risk of premature mortality and chronic health problems. For Australians, this is especially concerning, as approximately 60% of their total daily sitting time is accumulated in the workplace. Office workers, in particular, spend anywhere from 180 to 300 minutes seated at their desks each day, often with very little postural variation. These extended periods of sitting, without regular movement or postural changes, can be linked with musculoskeletal discomfort. Since the average Australian spends roughly 45 years in the workforce, the impact of desk-based work on musculoskeletal health is a growing concern—especially when it comes to the lower back. 4 out of 5 Australians will experience lower back pain sometime in their life. Lower back problems are incredibly common…

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Reinforcing the Benefits of Moving More: The Journey of BeUpstanding

BeUpstanding Stories

We did it! We made a stand for our health. After two months of standing, moving, and embracing new habits, we’ve reached a significant milestone in the BeUpstanding program. But this is just the beginning of a journey toward happier and healthier lives. In weeks 6 and 8 of the program, the focus shifts to reinforcing the benefits of sitting less, celebrating our collective achievements, and setting the stage for lasting change. But what makes this part of the program so effective? Let’s explore how BeUpstanding, with its foundation in behaviour change theory, uses strategic messaging in weeks 6 and 8 to keep momentum strong and ensure sustained success. As discussed in our previous blog, BeUpstanding is grounded in robust behavioural change frameworks like the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW), composed of the COM-B model, and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). These models help guide the design of the program, ensuring it addresses not just individual behaviours but the broader social and environmental contexts that influence those behaviours. Here’s how BeUpstanding uses theory to keep workers engaged towards the end of the program and in the future: Capability As we near the end of the program, it’s crucial to reflect on the progress…

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Push through the slump: how BeUpstanding’s evidence-based strategies keep you mooving

BeUpstanding Stories

Hit a Hump? Don’t Let It Slow You Down! We’ve reached the halfway point of the BeUpstanding program, a time when motivation often dips, and you may start to feel the natural slowdown in momentum. It’s completely normal to feel like you’re losing steam, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop! Weeks 4 and 7 are designed to keep things fresh and help you push through the mid-program hump by introducing new moves and strategies. But what makes these messages effective? It’s all down to the behavioural change theories that shape them, ensuring that the program is based on evidence and proven strategies to combat these hurdles. Let’s break down how this messaging works, using two key frameworks: the Capacity, Opportunity. Motivation (COM-B) model and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). These theories explain why we behave the way we do and how to change that behaviour.   Capability As we hit the mid-program stage, it’s crucial to focus on the ability to maintain momentum and avoid slipping back into old habits. One of the biggest challenges at this point is being aware of how often you’re sitting and standing. Messages like “Identify your danger zones” encourage workers to actively self-monitor their…

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Educate to Elevate: The Theory Behind BeUpstanding Weeks 2 and 5

BeUpstanding Stories

Feeling foggy? You’re not alone. When we sit for too long, our blood flow and metabolism slow down. This means less oxygen is supplied to our brain and we can feel fatigued and sluggish. So why not jump up and start feeling more focused and less tired? That’s exactly what the BeUpstanding intervention is all about, especially during weeks 2 and 5, where the focus is on education and empowerment. These crucial weeks centre around the risks of prolonged sitting and the benefits of standing and moving more. But this isn’t just about throwing facts at you—it’s about strategically targeting the barriers and facilitators of behaviour change, as recommended by the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW). Let’s break down how this messaging works through the lens of the Capacity, Opportunity. Motivation (COM-B) model and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). These frameworks have been explored in more detail on our previous blog post. Capability Understanding the risks associated with sitting too much and the benefits of being more active is one of the biggest barriers for people to sit less and stand more. Weeks 2 and 5 of the BeUpstanding intervention address this by enhancing psychological capability, with a focus on the…

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Get Up and Get Moving: The Power of Good Theory in BeUpstanding Weeks 1 and 3

Key resources

We’re leaping into action! We’ve committed to BeUpstanding, and now it’s time to get moving! That’s the focus of weeks 1 and 3 in the BeUpstanding program—bringing the team together and taking action to make sitting less and standing more the new norm. Starting a new behaviour can be daunting—where do you begin? How do you overcome the discomfort of changing workplace habits? It’s perfectly normal to feel uncertain about trying something new. That’s why the first week of the BeUpstanding program emphasises togetherness and reinforces the group’s commitment. This focus continues into week 3, which highlights the importance of normalising the new behaviour to sustain long-term change. As previously explored, the BeUpstanding program was developed with the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) in mind. The program starts strong by addressing some of the most common barriers and facilitators of behaviour change, guided by the Capacity, Opportunity. Motivation (COM-B) model and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) layers of the BCW. Capability Understanding the guidelines for standing time in the workplace is crucial at the start of the program. It’s a key facilitator of behaviour change, as many people are unaware of how long they should be standing, which poses a significant…

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