A startup's toilet design intends to get workers off the pot

That’s one way to cut down on bathroom breaks.

A startup company in the U.K. developed a new, downward-tilting toilet meant to make employees so uncomfortable in the loo that they take care of business quicker.

The StandardToilet is slopped about 13 degrees forward to increase strain on the legs, making it painful to sit on for longer than five minutes, Mahabir Gill, founder of the company, told Wired in an article published Monday.

“Anything higher than that would cause wider problems. Thirteen degrees is not too inconvenient, but you’d soon want to get off the seat quite quickly,” Gill told the mag.

 

 

The porcelain throne isn’t meant to be a torture device, Gill said, claiming health benefits like improved posture.

Still, the primary purpose is to promote brief relief, cutting down the time workers spend on their phones and reducing monetary losses.

“It’s main benefit is to the employers, not the employees,” Gill admitted. “It saves the employer money.”

The StandardToilet in November was backed by the British Toilet Association (BTA), an organization that campaigns for better bathrooms in offices and public spaces. It retails for between $200 and $650.

The company is in talks to distribute its product to train stations, bars, shopping malls and offices, Gill said.


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