LÉON DESROCHES is basing his business model on a simple premise: sitting sucks.

Most of us know that sitting on our butts for long stretches isn’t good for our health. But as our technology-driven world requires more and more people to sit at desks to do their jobs, it’s getting tougher to avoid. Studies show that sitting all day can lead to increased obesity, increased rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease caused by a lack of exercise and increased cholesterol and musculoskeletal injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. “People think, ‘I work out fairly regularly, I’m alright,’” DesRoches says. “But it doesn’t counter the effects of sitting six or seven hours a day.”

So DesRoches has started a business based in Dieppe, New Brunswick called Smartpods. What DesRoches is selling are automated desks and work stations (manufactured in Moncton) that encourage users to move throughout the day. The user plugs individual data into the Smartpods, and based on that information the workstation moves up and down, left to right throughout the day. Smartpods has two products right now, the 3D Series that DesRoches says costs $2,500 per unit and the 4D Series that costs between $4,500 to $5,500 per unit.

Yes, the products are costly. But DesRoches is banking on businesses recognizing they will get their investment back, and then some, because healthier employees are more productive, stick around longer and don’t tax the company’s medical insurance plan premiums with numerous drug and physiotherapy claims. DesRoches says his company’s target market is white-collar professionals — accountants, lawyers, engineers, architects and employees who work in front of several computer monitors during the day.

“I’m very confident in Smartpods,” DesRoches says. “I think it has the potential to change the way we work in offices globally.”