You may soon have less time to ahem, take care of business at work thanks to a UK employer who has come up with a way to keep his workers off the porcelain throne, Wired reports.
Mahabir Gill, a consulting engineer of 40 years, has invented the StandardToilet, a seat that claims to drastically reduce toilet time.
How does it work? The StandardToilet sits at a downward angle of 13 degrees. After around five minutes of sitting, this leads to strain on the legs, like a low-level squat thrust, though “not enough to cause health issues,” according to Mr Gill (well, that’s a relief!)
Why? Mr Gill came up with the concept after sometimes discovering workers asleep on the toilet, and outside of work, was increasingly annoyed by queues for public toilets.
The design was given the green light by the British Toilet Association (BTA) (yes, it’s real) last month and is now retailing for £150-£500 (AU$196-$654) in the UK.
There are plenty of critics though, who say the loo is the next step in what employers have been doing for years: tracking toilet breaks.
“In an office, the one space you have where you can find privacy is often the toilet,” Jennifer Kaufmann-Buhler, assistant professor of design history at Purdue University in Indiana, pointed out.
It’s a good point – and when you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go.
Just maybe keep an eye on the clock then.
