Ergonomics for the Home Workforce

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

Working from home has become the norm for many employees since March - but not all home workspaces are suitable; some people have even had to resort to working in their cars! A survey by online car marketplace Heycar, in September, found that one-in-10 people admit they work regularly from their car, with 20% using it as a place to work on their laptop.

However, while this option can give employees some muchneeded solitude, it can only ever be a short-term solution, as cars are not designed to be workspaces, and working in them for extended times could lead to health problems, such as back pain.

Indeed, musculoskeletal problems such as back pain – which can be caused by poor posture when working – accounted for nearly 20% of staff sickness absence in 2018, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics. This demonstrates the importance of having the correct ergonomic workspace, and it is essential that managers attend to this whether employees are working from home or the office.

The coronavirus pandemic has meant that buying trends have shifted to accommodate this issue, according to Daryl Brunt of Fellowes Brands. “Products that help to reduce inactivity and prevent tension in the back and neck while staring at a computer screen, as well as those designed to avoid pressure on the wrists while typing, have enjoyed a steep spike in sales following the mass transition to home working,” he says.

“The most popular lines are laptop supports, document holders, free-standing monitor arms and sit-stand desk converters that transform sedentary worktops into dynamic workstations for more active working.”

Daryl adds that employers should provide display screen equipment (DSE) workstation assessments for all computer-using employees who are based in the office or working from home on a long-term basis. “These are normally arranged by the line manager, HR team or Health and Safety department. If employees are working from home temporarily, current guidance is that the employer does not need to provide a full workstation assessment; however, it is good practice to do one. There is plenty of guidance and advice to ensure that workers get set up as safely as possible, including many online resources that provide easy-to-follow workstation risk assessments.”

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT

There is no ‘one size fits all’ for workspaces, as not everyone has sufficient space for a commercial office desk, and needs vary depending on the role being carried out, Mark Galliano, of Teknik, points out. “Quite often, though, the workspace at home represents a ‘pared back’ version of the same worker’s space in their main office so the desk does not need to accommodate the same equipment - particularly as home working culture quite often comes with more paperless processes. Nevertheless, the space still needs to provide room for the user to sit at their computer screen with sufficient room for correct posture.”

Mark adds that, in recent months, suppliers have tried to incorporate a broad spread of workstations, from small, spacesaving desks right up to full office suites with matching filing and storage solutions, so that dealers and retailers can accommodate these various health and safety needs, while still providing visually appealing products which will fit in at home.

Elisabete Wells, regional marketing director at ACCO UK, agrees. “We’re finding that workers are beginning to establish designated workspaces within their homes,” she says. “This presents an immediate sales opportunity for resellers in ergonomic furniture and accessories.

“Since work-from-home looks like it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future, it’s going to be essential that staff are comfortable. Spending multiple hours, daily, in a position that is not ergonomically supportive is not good for posture or overall wellbeing. Kensington offer a wide range of products to help combat this, such as standing desks, footrests, seat cushions, monitor arms and laptop risers, keyboards and trackballs. Resellers should expect increased demand for these products in coming weeks and months from new customers, and should use this opportunity to upsell existing customers to more ergonomically designed solutions.”

SEAT OF POWER

One of the most important parts of the workstation is the chair and, as Simon Howorth, marketing and design manager at DAMS International, points out, an ill-fitting chair will quickly cause pain. “The most important thing to remember when selecting an office chair is that people come in all shapes and sizes, so there is no one office chair that will suit everybody,” he says. “A person who is cramped, or in pain, due to a poorly designed chair, is not someone who will enjoy their work and perform to the best of their abilities. A good office chair will allow the user to adjust the chair to fit their body, their desk and their activities.

“But it’s not all about the chair. Your desk should, ideally, allow you to have your feet flat on the floor, with your legs fitting comfortably under the desk when sitting. If your desk doesn’t support this posture you can invest in a keyboard tray, get a footrest, adjust your chair height and seating position, or change the height of your desk.

“The number one cause of lower neck pain when working is due to incorrect monitor positions. Poor monitor placement can also lead to eye strain, improper posture and shoulder problems, and a high-quality monitor arm is an essential piece of office equipment designed to create an ergonomic desk and working environment.”

Simon adds that there are many single and double monitor arms on offer - affordable for any budget - but with no compromise on important features; such products can be tailored to the user’s exact needs to promote good posture, improve efficiency, productivity and wellbeing.

There have also been moves to get desk-based employees on their feet during the day, with height adjustable desks increasing in popularity as they allow users to switch between sitting and standing throughout the day. “Height-adjustable desk converters now exist, which turn a regular desk into a standing desk without having to replace the current one,” Simon adds.

STAND TALL

However, as John Barker, marketing manager at Floortex Europe Ltd, notes, excessive standing in a single position also has its physical drawbacks, putting strain on the back, hips and legs. “Use of an ergonomic, anti-fatigue standing surface if important if users are to get the best from sit-stand working,” he says.

Anti-fatigue standing surfaces are ergonomic, which encourages regular foot movement and changes in standing position which stimulate the lower body for reduced fatigue and improved working performance, John explains.

“Standing desks and adjustable desk risers are a great investment for any company looking to enhance working practices focused on wellbeing,” he adds. “However, on-going use and benefits will only be maximised if the correct ergonomic accessories are also supplied. Providing the full ergonomic solution is the key to maximising employee wellbeing.”