In one of our previous posts, we’ve established that improving ergonomics in the workplace is one of the important decisions entrepreneurs and managers have to make to keep their employees happy and save costs from unwanted conditions associated with poor workplace ergonomics.

The next thing we’d like to focus on is the process of making your office ergonomic. It doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul all at once. You can start with one area, one element in the workplace, at a time.

Building an Ergonomic Workplace: Here’s How

Take a look around your space and check which might be causing poor ergonomics at the moment. Once you’ve identified these elements, work towards replacing or improving them.

Replace malfunctioning chairs

Office chairs directly affect the wellbeing of your employees because they directly affect their posture while at work. Bad posture due to poorly designed or malfunctioning chair can be fatal in the long run, so arrest any possible problem by replacing these chairs.

Look out for chairs that no longer move up and down, losing their adjustability. Look for signs of instability and wobbling, for arms that are stuck in a certain height and position, for damaged wheels, and for cushions that no longer provide enough support. Any sign of these call for a replacement chair.

Invest in adjustable desks

This is rather new in most workplaces, but one that directly affects wellbeing—the reason we are passionate about standing desks. One of the biggest reasons a sedentary lifestyle is so dangerous is that it keeps people from moving. And, immobility can damage the body in the long run because of the limitation it poses in the body circulation.

Standing desks encourage employees to alternate between sitting and standing as they work, keeping them moving every now and then to break their sedentary lifestyle. Standing may not seem much, but it is one simple way to get moving, burn calories, and keep body circulation going—thus keeping your employees healthy.

Look out for repetitive tasks

Repetitive tasks can damage certain parts of the body because of the continuous stress these parts are subjected to. Factory workers who do continuous lifting and pulling are susceptible to injuries. But, office employees, although they don’t typically do manual labor, may also suffer from doing repetitive tasks.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common conditions many employees suffer from due to repetitive typing. And this is just one—there may be some more in your workplace depending on the nature of work of your employees. These are possible causes of future injury, so you need to find ways to stop them earlier on. You can do this by investing in ergonomic keyboards and mice, and you may also encourage your employees to stretch and move around after every few hours.

Do standing meetings

This is a growing trend in many workplaces—employees having casual meetings around a tall table (or a standing desk) so they keep moving. It’s an opportunity to stand and move, which is also helpful when you are brainstorming and need fresh ideas.

Find an area in your office with standing desks and tall tables, and designate that area for standing meetings. Encourage your employees to get up from their chairs and stand whenever they can.

Ask your employees

This is perhaps the most obvious thing to do—to ask your employees what kind of support they need so they can perform their work well and stay healthy.

Ask them what their challenges are when it comes to staying healthy in the office. Ask them what they need in terms of office equipment. Also, ask how you can help them achieve balance at work. Your employees will surely appreciate the effort, and you’ll be able to address their needs directly.

Working to make your office ergonomic will pay off in the long run. Start checking which areas in your workplace need the most improvement and start from there. Soon, you’ll have a healthy working environment that your healthy employees will definitely love working in.

About Us

MotionGrey is a Canadian standing desk company that specializes in ergonomic furniture. We supply and install only the best quality standing desks and ergonomic chairs in the country.

Our products are designed with wellness as the focal point. From our electric standing desks to our office and gaming chairs, we deliver best value by putting your health, safety, and comfort as top priority. Boost your creativity and level up work performance. We want you to create great outcomes so we’re providing you only the best tools to make them possible.
 
Click here to view our selection of products. Got questions?