Uncovering the Importance of Ergonomics in the Workplace
Are neck strains and back pains a common occurrence during your working day in the office? You're not alone if they are, and you're certainly not in the wrong for complaining about them either. The issue of ergonomics in the workplace is experienced by many!
It's easy to assume that an office job isn't physically demanding, but it's important to recognise that office-based roles can still have a significant and continuous impact on the body.
The aches and pains you feel whilst working in the office can actually progress into more serious and permanent health problems, but these can be improved with some careful consideration for workplace ergonomics and the furniture you use.
Ergonomics in the workplace refers to the goal of designing an environment that provides employees with a space they can work efficiently and comfortably in, and the importance of office ergonomics is evident in the benefits it brings to a business. Let's delve in and take a look…
Benefits of Ergonomics in the Workplace
Reap the Benefits of an Ergonomic Office // Claritas Solutions, Wetherby
1. Increased productivity
An ergonomic workspace ensures that everything needed for employees to complete their tasks is in close proximity and easily accessible. It will also include furniture that aims to both improve and support your posture to make you more comfortable while you work.
With both of these factors aiding an individual's comfort, it helps to increase productivity levels within your workspace because employees can complete tasks efficiently and without the aches and pains that can prove detrimental to work.
2. Better quality of work
Alongside increased productivity, the importance of office ergonomics is further highlighted by its impact on the quality of work too! Good office ergonomics minimises physical tension to working employees and allows individuals to focus better on the task at hand to produce their best work!
This also aids alertness in the workplace and encourages engagement between team members, which in turn also benefits the quality of work that your team members are able to produce.
3. Healthier employees
Poor ergonomics is strongly linked to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) and can contribute to more sick days being taken by your staff. This is evident in the figures gathered by HSE, which state that 6.6 million working days were lost in the UK in 2017-2018 as a result of WRMSD.
This highlights the strong relationship between poor workplace ergonomics and the health of employees, and employers investing in good ergonomics can therefore help to reduce sick days, improve productivity, and enhance the quality and amount of work being produced!
4. Reduced costs
Aside from the initial cost of investing in ergonomic features within the workplace, an ergonomic office can actually help a business to save money in the long-run.
Improved ergonomics helps to reduce the prevalence of WRMSD, which makes up around 35% of workplace illnesses according to HSE, and a reduced prevalence of WRMSD means reduced sick days and reduced costly compensation claims made by employees.
The amount of money that can be saved makes an investment in good office ergonomics worthwhile!
5. Higher employee satisfaction and retention
Employees often feel more valued by their employer when the company is seen to care and invest in their workspace, and this includes ergonomics. This can go a long way in retaining and attracting quality staff and it contributes greatly to employees feeling happier at work. Need we say more?
Investing in Good Ergonomics
Invest in the Right Ergonomic Furniture Solutions // FinancialForce, Harrogate
One of the most effective ways of improving your office ergonomics is to invest in the right furniture. There's a growing demand for ergonomically-designed workspaces and many commercial furniture designers now offer a range of ergonomic solutions as a result.
From adjustable chairs offering optimum lumbar support to tables that can be converted from sitting desks to standing desks; there's a multitude of ways for businesses to improve ergonomics in the workplace.
Our furniture team are specialists in finding innovative ergonomic office furniture designed to get the most out individuals and ensure that employees are comfortable throughout their working day.
We work with a selection of leading furniture brands who invest research and technology into the designs they so expertly produce, and our interior designers also incorporate ergonomic features within their office designs, such as important breakout areas to allow employees space and time away from their desks.
Ergonomics isn't all product-based, though. In addition to ergonomically-focused furniture, the way that office workers interact with the furniture is extremely important. Educating your staff on their posture and how they should position themselves in front of their desk is hugely beneficial.
Researching office ergonomics tips or inviting an ergonomics professional into the office can assist you in making your workspace a more comfortable and productive environment!
We recognise the importance of good posture and a comfortable workspace, which is why we consider the ergonomics of a workspace in all of our office design and build projects. However, it’s important to continue the same practices out of the office to allow employees to work optimally away from the workplace!
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