In order to create a productive, safe, comfortable, and enjoyable workplace, you need to think about various different factors. Most of these are based around ensuring that your employees’ basic needs are taken care of, as well as ensuring that the workplace complies with health and safety regulations. Of course, all of this ties in very neatly with productivity.
Why?
Because if your staff feel safe, comfortable, and valued, they are much more likely to do a great job for you, reaching their potential, and ensuring that your targets are met, and often exceeded. All of this means extra profits, thanks to that rise in productivity overall!
Ensuring your workplace is ideal for employees really has no downside, and even if there is an initial cost to do so, it will be more than recouped over time.
One word you will no doubt have heard plenty about when researching workplace set-ups is ‘ergonomic’. If you want to ensure fewer injuries, more comfort, and a better space for your staff, ergonomic is the way to go.
What Does Ergonomic Mean?
Ergonomic in terms of office furniture basically means that it fits the needs of your employee, i.e. it is adjustable, it can be moved, and it is comfortable. All of this links in very neatly with efficiency in the workplace, and allows an employee to be able to do their job without nuisance barriers in the way. For instance, a desk which is too low, and a chair which is too high is going to be uncomfortable, and it is also likely to slow that member of staff down when they’re working, because they’re constantly having to shift their position. In addition to this, there is a higher risk of strains in the lower back and neck from not sitting in the right way.
On the flipside, if desks are adjustable, and you make use of ergonomic chairs, every single member of staff will be able to move their set-up to suit their own build, e.g. their height, and as a result, they won’t need to be constantly shifting their position in order to be comfortable. This means that they will get more done in the time they have, and will be much less likely to suffer from strains.
Why is Ergonomic Office Furniture Important?
We’ve just touched upon the main reasons why ergonomic office furniture choices are vital in the modern day office, but to really drive the point home, let’s summarise the key reasons.
• Less risk to employees in terms of repetitive strain injury (RSI), neck and back strains, and development of chronic pain conditions in the future.
• A higher level of productivity, due to a higher comfort level and a workstation which is set up to achieve the needs of the job.
• Ergonomic office furniture is generally high quality, e.g. a height adjustable desk, and as such these pieces are investments which are going to stand the test of time, and possibly several office moves.
• Less sick days throughout the year for employees, due to higher comfort levels. Sick days cost an organisation a large amount of money, so you’re saving cash by setting up commercial office furniture in the right way.
In addition to all of this, there is a psychological reason why ergonomic furniture is a good choice for a workplace. Staff want to feel valued; we’re all human at the end of the day, and when we feel like we’re valued, we are more likely to work harder as a result. By installing office furniture which meets the needs of your staff, and makes them more comfortable you’re investing in their comfort and health, which is a major boost in terms of how valued they feel. If you simply expect them to sit on the most uncomfortable, old office chairs throughout their time at work, are they going to feel valued? No, absolutely not! This will now bring us to our next point.
The Risks Associated With Not Sitting Correctly
Have you ever sat in an uncomfortable position for more than an hour and felt good about it? Of course not! In that case, how can you expect an office worker to sit at a desk which is uncomfortable, with a chair that is harder than a plank of wood, and expect them to be pleased about being at work? You simply can’t.
Not sitting correctly is not only about not feeling that comfortable, and it making you miserable as a result, it’s about overall health and well-being.
There is a right way to sit, and a wrong way. Most of us sit in the wrong way, but by choosing the right type of office seating and desks to go along with it, we’re almost forced to sit correctly. Slouching is bad, sitting upright is good. Having your arms too high for your keyboard is a major risk factor for RSI, but having your arms parallel to your desk is good.
Not sitting correctly increases risk factors for:
• Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
• Lower back pain
• Neck pain
• Sciatica
• Chronic pain conditions, which can develop over time and be extremely hard to manage, especially in later life
• Headaches
• Muscle tension
No member of staff should be putting themselves at risk of any of these conditions simply by going to work and doing their job. As a responsible employer, setting up the right types of ergonomic office furniture choices is therefore a duty you should take seriously, to ensure the health and well-being of your staff. Of course, from a business point of view, as we mentioned earlier, this also cuts down on the number of sick days a member of staff is likely to take throughout the year, thus saving cash and time. So, what considerations do we need to exactly make when setting up an ergonomic workstation. Let's explore.
Things to Consider When Setting up an Ergonomic Desk Space
The two most important pieces of office furniture at an office workstation are the desk and the chair. Of course, there is more to a fully functional workspace than just that, but in terms of actual ergonomics, these are the two main parts.
The Office Chair
An office chair should be adjustable in several different ways. The seat height should be adjustable, and the best position for an employee to sit in is having their feet flat on the floor, without being on tiptoes or having the knees over bent. The back of the chair should also be adjustable to ensure that it supports the whole back, but in particular the lower back region (lumbar region). By ensuring this part of the back is supported with the right type of adjustment, and sometimes with padding on the chair, which can be pumped up or released, you’re reducing the chances of lower back strains quite dramatically.
Some office chairs have armrests, and whilst these are useful for some, other people find them annoying. It’s really down to the member of staff as to whether they find these comfortable or not, but they should be on the chair and removable, to allow that decision to be made. The chair should also allow a reclining and upright position, with several stop points along the way. There is some evidence to suggest that when you’re not typing at a computer, you should recline your chair for a short period, to take a break and stretch out your back.
The Office Desk
An office desk needs to be height adjustable, just like the chair. Remember, every single member of staff is likely to be a different height, so desks and chairs need to be able to accommodate that accordingly. The desk needs to allow a member of staff to sit upright, with relaxed shoulders, and forearms to be at a right angle, resting parallel to the desk surface, for typing and mouse work.
Speaking of the computer keyboard, this needs to be placed in front of the person using it, and placed around 15cm maximum from the edge of the desk surface. Wrists should be straight, to avoid over-stretching. The mouse should be close to the keyboard, to avoid having to stretch too far to one side in order to use it. Mouse pads with gel wrist supports can be used, but again, not everyone finds these comfortable, and some can force the wrist into an unnatural position.
The computer screen comes next. If this is too low, you’re putting stress on your neck and shoulders. Much of this depends on the height of the desk, which is another reason why adjustable desks are the way forward. Ideally, the computer screen should be at eye level, e.g. the top of the screen should be straight facing, without having to look up or down. This prevents eye strain, neck pain, and tension headaches. In terms of how far away the screen should be, this depends, but generally speaking, an arm’s length away is a good marker.
Those are main talking points in terms of how to set up a desk space which is ergonomically sound, but it really comes down to more than that too. For instance, nothing should be too far away. Office storage solutions should be placed somewhere that those needing to get to them can easily reach, but without causing an obstruction. They should also be not too close to the floor, and not too high, to avoid stretching and possibly injuring a back. If a member of staff needs a certain amount of privacy to do their particular job, or they need a little peace and quiet for a certain task, office screens are a good idea. These can be installed permanently, or they can be removed and installed at certain times, e.g. for certain tasks.
If you’re looking to create a super-ergonomic workspace, type in office furniture in London online, for some of the best options around. You will also come across a wide selection of office furniture items here at Calibre Office Furniture.
Remember, Every Employee is Different!
The most important thing to remember when setting up an ergonomic desk space is that one size does not fit all. Every single member of staff you employ is totally different in terms of their height, their width, their dimensions, everything! For this reason, adjustable is the only way forward. This means that your staff can adjust their desk and their chair to their particular height, and can ensure that they are comfortable whilst they’re working.
When someone new comes into the workplace, it’s a great idea to do a risk assessment of sorts. This means assessing the office desk you’re planning for them to sit at, and to check whether everything is arranged as it should be. In addition, speak to your new member of staff about any health concerns or issues they currently have. Have they ever suffered from RSI? Do they get tension headaches a lot? Do they have any chronic pain conditions? All of this information, confidentially collected of course, will allow you to ensure their work desk is as comfortable and ergonomically designed as possible for them.
By treating every single member of staff as the individual they are, you’re not only ensuring that they are comfortable and at a lower risk for injury and pain, but you’re also driving home the fact that you value them and their health. We’re going to use that P word again, but productivity is always on the rise when someone feels that they’re valued and held in high regard. You can never overlook the importance of health in the workplace, not only in terms of how someone feels and performs, but also in terms of how well they are able to do their job on a productivity scale.
Have you ever looked into ergonomic choices in the past? If so, what kinds of challenges did you run into? Share your ideas!