ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?

The importance of ergonomics has been in the spotlight over the past two years, with employees now having higher expectations for the comfort and functionality of their office furniture

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he past two years has been unprecedented for working habits, with hybrid working now here to stay and many businesses upgrading their office spaces to tempt workers back – and this has led to a focus on wellbeing policies.

A key part of wellbeing is office ergonomics, needed to maintain employee safety and comfort, while also enabling them to maximise efficiency, says Lawrence Savage, marketing manager at ExaClair. “There is a growing emphasis on optimising thermal comfort, air quality, acoustics and lighting, allowing businesses to create more pleasant office spaces that encourage better productivity, as well as boosting the wellbeing and morale of staff members,” he says.

This means that offices are changing. “Nature-inspired biophilic offices are really coming to the fore, with planter storage units, wooden slatted walls or area dividers increasingly being incorporated into the modern office layout,” Lawrence says. “According to the EMEA, offices that feature natural elements report a 13% higher level of wellbeing as opposed to those that don’t.

“In addition to items such as chairs, desks and wrist supports, more businesses are seeking modern alternatives to traditional filing and organising products associated with the office - products which offer greater flexibility to meet the demands of nomadic workers – for example, more portable and modular filing storage products, and stationery equipment that carries environmentally-friendly credentials.”

Lawrence adds that, since the start of the pandemic, there has been an increased focus on staff not only needing equipment that is ergonomic but also aesthetically pleasing and capable of adapting to varied requirements.

“We’ve seen a continued rise in popularity of products that feature soft, calming pastel shades, as well as more ecologically-aware ranges; demand has grown in step with the growing influence of Generation Z members of the workforce.”

CHANGING EXPECTATIONS

Elisabete Wells, regional marketing director, ACCO UK & Ireland, agrees that employers should be keen to create a comfortable, wellbeing-focused environment. “Now that they have the power to curate their personal workspaces at home, workers’ expectations of the office have changed,” she says. “Employers should reflect this in their choice

of ergonomic solutions, and this presents a major opportunity for resellers to introduce their customers to products beyond just chairs and desks. They can improve their offering, increase their range, train their sales and telesales teams so that they can advise on what a good ergonomic set up looks like, and ultimately sell more.”

Likewise, hybrid working brings opportunities for resellers to help their customers set up comfortable, functional and more permanent home workspaces, Elisabete says. “The opportunities will come from those customers who, even after two years, viewed remote work as a temporary arrangement, as well as from customers who probably just bought the first available bog standard black, bulky piece of equipment they could get their hands on, just to get them by,” she says. “Now that remote working is here to stay, customers in both camps will be looking to invest in products that address their long-term needs.”

IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSORISING

However, Elisabete points out that ergonomics is about more than just large furniture items. “With many staff having to continue working from their dining or kitchen tables a few days a week – because not everyone has the luxury of a dedicated home office – expect to see a rise in demand for lightweight, compact, well-designed ergonomic products such as laptop risers, keyboards, seat cushions, footrests and computer mice to make life more comfortable,” she says. “Also expect to see customers upgrading their standard equipment to products that match their personal tastes.”

Jeremy Cooper, marketing manager at Fellowes, agrees. “Laptop risers and monitor mounts have become must-have items, as have ergonomic desk accessories – from keyboard and wrist supports, to document holders, ambidextrous mice and foot supports, through to storage and organisation solutions and deskside shredders.”

He says that, when COVID-19 first arrived, many companies bought cheap solutions online as short-term fixes. “Now that the new ways of working are here to stay, most companies are looking for the best quality solutions that represent the best value in the long run. Monitor arms are in high demand, as they save desk space, help to improve productivity, and enable multi-screen work, which is essential for smashing those spreadsheets.”

BASICS STILL KEY

While office furniture is changing to meet the evolving nature of work, the basics – a good desk, supportive chairs and comfortable breakout areas - are still the key design elements, says Simon Howorth, marketing and design manager at Dams. “The mix of exquisitely designed classic furniture, and ergonomically designed modern furniture, will give employees a space where they feel welcomed, comfortable and well taken care of,” he says.

“Office furniture makes the work environment comfortable, pleasant and attractive; the role of furniture in worker productivity, and the efficient operation of a work environment, is more important now than it has ever been. Flexible workplaces are becoming the new normal and businesses must create or re-design their spaces to fit the new era.

“More and more businesses are kitting out their offices with height-adjustable desks, ergonomic chairs and soft seating areas. We’re also seeing more collaborative spaces with worktables incorporating power and data so that teams can work together and more private working spaces so that people can get away from the hustle and bustle of the office when needed to concentrate on the job in hand, along with abundant indoor greenery to give workplaces have a more homely feel.

“Companies need to evaluate which types of furniture best support their employees’ day-to-day activities and remember that furniture is essential for the smooth and efficient functioning of a workplace. Designed well, these agile social spaces can help to make the office somewhere people want to be.”

A key part of wellbeing is office ergonomics