Creating an ergonomic office setup is crucial for increasing employee comfort and productivity during long work hours. An uncomfortable workspace with poorly arranged furniture will reduce productivity and lead to musculoskeletal disorders.
You can easily optimize your office’s setup by making a few adjustments. Today, we will give tips to help you improve your workspace.
From selecting proper chairs to adjusting monitors and using ergonomic accessories, our solutions can turn your unergonomic office into a comfortable and productive work environment.
Understanding Office Ergonomics
The private sector experiences nearly 250,000 musculoskeletal injuries each year. These injuries cost employers millions of dollars in direct and indirect expenses. You can easily avoid these costs by creating an ergonomic office setup.
Ergonomics is the science of designing a workplace that fits the workers’ physical needs and duties. Workplace ergonomics can reduce costs by improving employee comfort and productivity while decreasing turnovers.
Studies show that an ergonomic office can increase productivity by up to 25%. It also has long-term benefits for the employees, helping them avoid work-related musculoskeletal disorders and fatigue.
You can improve your employees’ physical and mental health by investing in an ergonomic office space and creating a safe and positive work environment.
Key Elements of an Ergonomic Office Setup
There are various factors to consider when rearranging your office to make it more employee-friendly. Let’s review four of these factors that will make the most difference.
Desk and Chair Selection
You can prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders by selecting comfortable desks and chairs for lengthy sitting periods.
Here are some factors to consider when selecting your office furniture:
- Choose chairs with
- Adequate padding for comfort
- Lumbar support for proper spine alignment
- Armrests to support the neck and shoulders
- Invest in chairs and desks with adjustable heights and enough leg room to accommodate different body sizes
- Buy chairs and desks with non-slip bases and smooth, rounded edges to prevent accidents
Invest in furniture with sturdy materials when designing your ergonomic office setup to make them last longer. You can also opt for standing desks to allow employees to alternate positions while performing tasks.
Monitor Placement
Another factor you should consider when setting up an ergonomic office for enhanced employee comfort and productivity is the type of monitor you choose and where you place it.
Here are some tips you can use to ensure optimal monitor placement:
- Position the top of the monitor at the employee’s eye level
- Align the monitor directly in front of the employee, an arm’s length away
- Use an adjustable monitor stand to customize its height and tilt it to avoid neck strain
- Consider a larger monitor size with higher resolution and free from glares and reflections
Advise your employees to follow the 20-20-20 rule and take regular breaks from staring at their monitors to rest their eyes.
Keyboard and Mouse
Proper keyboard and mouse usage is another essential factor for an ergonomic office setup.
You must select a mouse and a keyboard designed with ergonomics in mind and use the following tips to avoid overexertion:
- Allow space to rest the wrists while typing
- Keep the mouse on the same level as the keyboard
- Position the keyboard and mouse at elbow height, close to the body
- Use an ergonomic keyboard and mouse with cushioned wrist support
- Advise employees to use keyboard shortcuts for reduced mouse usage
Have your employees take short breaks from their keyboards to stretch their hands and fingers.
Ergonomic Accessories
You should also incorporate other accessories and strategies in your workspace to create the perfect ergonomic office setup.
Here are some of these ergonomic accessories that can increase employee comfort and productivity:
- Footrests are excellent options for resting the feet, providing optimal ankle position, and reducing leg fatigue
- Back supports like lumbar pillows are ideal for aligning the spine and providing an extra layer of comfort
- Proper lighting is a necessity for protecting the eyes and reducing strain and fatigue
Another thing we can’t stress enough is the importance of active stretching when working at a computer. Have your employees do stretches during their breaks to activate their muscles and prevent injuries.
Set Up Your Ergonomic Office
Optimizing your office space is simple once you have a plan of action. Here are the steps to creating a safer, more ergonomic work environment for your employees.
1. Assess Your Current Setup
Start by evaluating your current workspace. Identify potential causes of discomfort and any areas for improvement.
2. Make Necessary Adjustments
Modify your office setup based on your assessment. This step can include anything from changing the layout to adjusting desk heights or monitor positions.
3. Implement Ergonomic Tools
Add ergonomic accessories and equipment to reduce strain on the body and increase employee comfort and productivity.
4. Enjoy Your Ergonomic Office Setup
Congratulations! You have created a safe and optimized environment for your employees to perform at their best. Enjoy this new workspace.
Overcoming Ergonomic Challenges
You might face several challenges when creating an ergonomic workspace and adopting office health practices that can lead to happier workers. Here are some of those challenges and how you can overcome them.
Limited Space
It can be hard to rearrange furniture and add new accessories to a cramped office. In such cases, you can opt for space-saving furniture like standing desks and tools like monitor arms.
Low Budget
You may not have the budget to set up an ergonomic office. In this case, you can find budget-friendly accessories like lumbar supports instead of replacing your chairs entirely. You can also consider bulk purchasing or leasing agreements.
Resistance to Change
Some employees may be skeptical about adopting new ergonomic practices. Provide workplace safety education to help them understand the importance of office ergonomics. Also, include them in the decision-making process.
Create an Ergonomic Office With BIOKINETIX
Identifying what you need to change in your office to improve its safety can be a challenging task. However, you can get professional help from the expert ergonomists in our workplace injury prevention program.
With our strategic services and science-based methodologies, we can help you create an ergonomic office setup that increases employee comfort and productivity.Schedule a no-cost analysis today to transform your office.
