Having a pleasant workspace is crucial to keep your employees focused and productive. As a business owner, your goal is to provide adequate office space for your team to work efficiently.
You might be surprised to find out that some of your employees might not be comfortable with the current setting in your workplace. It might be best to revisit your office ergonomics.
This helpful post will cover the necessary factors to consider when designing your office space. As an employer, you want your team to be productive, efficient, and comfortable with their space.
You can achieve this by finding ways to make your workspace more ergonomic. Here are some steps to come up with an ergonomic workplace:
1. Ensure The Desk Has The Appropriate Height
The desk has all the equipment, devices, and documents necessary for your employees to finish their tasks. They spend hours working on their computers, so their desk must provide enough support for their arms, wrists, and hands.
When typing on a keyboard, the ideal position is to have the arms paralleled to the ground. However, some desks are just too high or too low. It’s best to consider the average height of your team before setting up a work desk for them.
Another tip is to invest in tables with adjustable height so that team members can adjust them according to height. You may also consider having a standing desk. This way, your team can work either standing up or sitting down, whichever way they are comfortable.
2. Consider The Position Of The Keyboard And Mouse
Each team member relies so much on their keyboard and mouse while performing their tasks. This is why you should also pay attention to their positioning. Many people ignore these small details, but when the keyboard and the mouse are out of place, this can cause a lot of stress to one’s hand and wrist.
Furthermore, this could lead to arm and upper body pain, especially when doing repetitive tasks all day. You don’t want your team to experience excessive fatigue or injury during work hours.
It would help if you allowed each team member to find a comfortable spot for their keyboard and mouse to avoid unnecessary delays on their work day.
3. Add Good Lighting
The lighting in your office plays an important role in creating an ergonomic space. The eyes might easily get tired when there’s poor lighting in the office. Ergonomic experts suggest installing good and ample lighting to reduce eye strain.
Aside from the usual lighting on the ceiling, you can provide each desk with its own lamp making it easy to read various documents and paperwork.
It’s ideal to have artificial lights installed in your work area, but nothing beats having a good space for natural lighting. It wouldn’t hurt to have ample access to daylight and a good outdoor view. Your team would love to have their eyes rest away from their monitor screen from time to time.
4. Invest In Adjustable Chairs
The best ergonomic piece of equipment you can have in your workplace is your chair. Your team will appreciate sitting on a chair that provides complete comfort and support to their whole body.
Purchasing adjustable chairs allows your team to choose their preferred height when sitting down. This will ensure that they maintain proper body posture throughout the day.
When shopping for your office chairs, consider these factors:
Height
Ideally, your team should be able to sit in their natural position. The right chair should allow them to keep their feet on the ground without dangling them. Go for an adjustable chair instead if your workforce has varying heights.
Cushion
Bad office chairs could lead to pain in the hips and tailbone. Without the right cushions, these body parts can suffer from pain and fatigue over time. Choose the right ergonomic chairs with durable cushions that won’t go saggy over time. A perfect seat cushion can provide ample support to the upper body by redistributing that compressive force.
Length
Some people might not realize it, but you should also consider the chair’s length. When you sit down, your knees and the edge of the chair should have enough distance between them. Fortunately, this function can also be adjusted when you invest in adjustable work chairs.
Conclusion
Businesses today work in a mobile environment. Some employees have to report to their offices while others work at home. Whatever office settings you have, the things discussed above will apply to almost every employee.
Keeping an ergonomic office is very important in ensuring your team’s overall productivity and health. In return, your employees will be happy working and finishing their tasks.