The average office worker in the UK spends between four and nine hours at their desk each day. Those spending around 9 hours five days per week are a massive 45 hours sitting in one place. And no one can deny that sitting at your desk for 9 hours a day is wildly different from 9 hours on your sofa at home. This is where ergonomics comes in. Ergonomics is studying the human body and work and how it ‘fits’ within a working environment. Many factors contribute to an ergonomic office, including the type of furniture used, the placement of said furniture and utensils required to do a job, and factors such as temperature, air quality, a person’s health and physical abilities.
Improved Health
There are many reasons why an ergonomic office contributes to improved health. First, sitting in one spot for an extended period is not healthy for the body. Second, your posture will deteriorate over time. The best way to avoid this is by using an ergonomic chair. An ergonomic chair provides support in all the right places, which means you’ll have better posture and less pain throughout the day. Finally, another great benefit of an ergonomic office is reducing stress levels. Sitting at your desk for nine hours a day can lead to high levels of stress in some people, but with an ergonomic environment, there are ways to relieve that stress while still getting work done.
Increased Efficiency
An ergonomic office can positively impact your employees’ level of productivity. It’s been observed that employees who have an ergonomic environment at work are more productive and efficient with their time.
One reason for this is the increase in comfort, which leads to less fatigue and less stress. And, as you know, stress can be one of the leading causes of low productivity. Office Furniture plays a massive role in this category. Providing your employees with furniture that allows them to maintain good posture while sitting or standing will help reduce muscle pain and fatigue.
Higher Quality of Work
One of the most obvious reasons for an ergonomic office is the improved quality of work. Physical ergonomics can lead to better concentration and higher levels of work productivity. Higher concentration levels mean fewer mistakes, and higher work productivity means more productivity in their time spent working. This means there is less chance of the wrong file being used or the right person not being contacted because they were distracted by other things. If people enjoy their work more, they are more likely to want to put in extra hours, and you will get a greater return on your investment by paying them overtime.
Fewer Work-Related Injuries
An ergonomic office is set up to be practical and helpful to those working there. This means any hazards are removed; strains are reduced as items are placed in an ideal location. Reductions in issues such as migraines from staring at a screen too long, neck strain from twisting in different positions to be able to work, carpal tunnel syndrome from using a keyboard frequently and more can all be reduced by paying attention to how each employee works and adapting their workspace to make it more comfortable for them.
Fewer Hazards
There are many benefits to having a more ergonomic office; one of the major ones is that you can help create a safer and healthier space for your workers. This means they will be less likely to experience eye strain and neck pain, two common issues in poorly designed offices. Additionally, there are fewer hazards when the office is appropriately set up. For instance, if an employee has to make frequent trips from their desk to the printer, it means they will have to walk back and forth across the office multiple times throughout the day. If you have put printers closer to where people sit by placing them under desks or next to walls, then an employee won’t need to use as much energy.
