SALES SUCCESS
ERGONOMICS
Comfort in work Wellbeing is crucial to having a productive workforce and ergonomics plays a large part in the physical aspect of that, whether at home or in the office, and there are plenty of solutions out there, as well as help for assessing workstation suitability
W
orking from home has become the norm for many employees since March - but not all
active working.” Daryl adds that employers should provide display screen
home workspaces are suitable; some people
equipment (DSE) workstation assessments for all computer-using
have even had to resort to working in their
employees who are based in the office or working from home on a
cars! A survey by online car marketplace
long-term basis. “These are normally arranged by the line manager,
Heycar, in September, found that one-in-10
HR team or Health and Safety department. If employees are working
people admit they work regularly from their car, with 20% using it as
from home temporarily, current guidance is that the employer does
a place to work on their laptop.
not need to provide a full workstation assessment; however, it is good
However, while this option can give employees some much-
practice to do one. There is plenty of guidance and advice to ensure
needed solitude, it can only ever be a short-term solution, as cars are
that workers get set up as safely as possible, including many online
not designed to be workspaces, and working in them for extended
resources that provide easy-to-follow workstation risk assessments.”
times could lead to health problems, such as back pain. Indeed, musculoskeletal problems such as back pain – which can
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT
be caused by poor posture when working – accounted for nearly 20%
There is no ‘one size fits all’ for workspaces, as not everyone has
of staff sickness absence in 2018, according to figures from the Office
sufficient space for a commercial office desk, and needs vary
of National Statistics. This demonstrates the importance of having
depending on the role being carried out, Mark Galliano, of Tehnik,
the correct ergonomic workspace, and it is essential that managers
points out. “Quite often, though, the workspace at home represents
attend to this whether employees are working from home or the
a ‘pared back’ version of the same worker’s space in their main office
office.
so the desk does not need to accommodate the same equipment -
The coronavirus pandemic has meant that buying trends have
particularly as home working culture quite often comes with more
shifted to accommodate this issue, according to Daryl Brunt of
paperless processes. Nevertheless, the space still needs to provide
Fellowes Brands. “Products that help to reduce inactivity and prevent
room for the user to sit at their computer screen with sufficient room
tension in the back and neck while staring at a computer screen, as
for correct posture.”
well as those designed to avoid pressure on the wrists while typing,
Mark adds that, in recent months, suppliers have tried to
have enjoyed a steep spike in sales following the mass transition to
incorporate a broad spread of workstations, from small, space-
home working,” he says.
saving desks right up to full office suites with matching filing and
“The most popular lines are laptop supports, document holders,
storage solutions, so that dealers and retailers can accommodate
free-standing monitor arms and sit-stand desk converters that
these various health and safety needs, while still providing visually
transform sedentary worktops into dynamic workstations for more
appealing products which will fit in at home.
[36] OCTOBER 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
