It depends on the job. If I were a construction worker, I'd imagine that working in a chair would be quite difficult. And If I were an office worker, I wouldn't enjoy being on my computer stood up.
Remember who you are talking to. You do anything to the body that long without stretching and modifying the position you are holding for hours, like standing, or sitting and you are going to be in a world of pain sooner or later. We are not meant to hold our muscles in one position for a long period of time like that.
Fatigue sets in, there is no circulation going from heart to stretched muscle and you start to tax the wrong muscles to hold up your legs, back, neck, or if sitting the whole deep hip rotators are going to go down the tubes because you are stretching muscles that need to be relaxed for too long.
I've done both but these days I think I'd rather sit.
One time I spent a month on crutches and used office chairs to scoot around. The efficiency varies according to the type of chair. The big executive chair with padding, arms, and wheels is a bit like trying to drive through traffic in an old Morris Minor while the trim, slim, typing chair is the Ferrari of office chairs. Give me one of those and you'd better keep out of the way as I come gliding through.
Pity the office didn't come with banked corners. It might have saved me a couple of spills.
Answering this question deadly seriously :P In truth consensus seems to be that moving around is better for you physically.. as in an active job.. but that may not necessarily be the case with standing up, if you are just standing still all day. We are told sitting down all day is very bad for us too... So my deadly serious answer is... I'd prefer sitting to standing, simply cos standing may not necessarily mean you are active or moving around and believe me just standing around for ages and on your feet all day is very painful :(
righty1 