5 Ways to Improve Workplace Ergonomics

Ergonomics is about efficiency in the workplace. How can we make the office more efficient and keep or workers alert and focused? We will be taking a look at 5 ways that we can improve the workplace.

Sit on a Yoga ball.

Office chairs are great. They may even seem comfortable at first, but I don’t believe that any of them are good for our backs or our general health. Replacing your office chair with a Yoga ball keeps you more alert at your desk. It gets you moving more too. You can roll and bounce around and even take a break to do some exercises with it.

The key here is that you are less sedentary and so healthier. Your blood is circulating better, which means that your mind is more focused and alert. This all translates to better productivity. Not to mention that Yoga balls are much cheaper than office chairs, so it is a win/win situation.

Standing Desks

Standing Desks are another great way to keep workers alert and productive. When you sit for long periods of time, you get tired. How do you expect to be at the top of your game when you are lethargic and feeling like a slug? The answer is that you can’t.

Standing Desks allow you to keep moving. Again, your blood will be pumping better and you will get more oxygen to your brain. Just like the Yoga ball, it’s all about motion and activity. The simple act of standing compared to sitting will help you to burn more calories too. You also don’t have to strain or neck to look at our computer monitor. You can find more info here.

Proper Lighting

Sure, you may have ceiling lights, but you want more lighting than that. You want to make sure that employees have the light they need to focus on their daily tasks. You may want to consider adding some extra lighting in other areas. Maybe beneath cubicle shelving to shine a light on the desk, or some adjustable desk lamps that let your people focus light right where they need it. If they can see better, they can focus better. Plus, proper lighting tends to make your workers feel better.

Use Monitor Stands and Position Your Keyboard Correctly

Set up your computer keyboards so that you can type with your elbows at a 90-degree angle. You may need an under-the-desk keyboard tray as well. Also, computer monitors should be about an arm’s length away from you. If your equipment is positioned correctly, you should be looking straight ahead or slightly down at the screen.You should not be looking up.

Incorrectly positioned monitors and keyboards can lead to neck strain, eye fatigue, wrist complications and more.

If You Do Stick With Office Chairs…

Yoga Balls and Standing Desks are the best, but if you do decide that you need office chairs, you will want to purchase chairs that encourage good posture. You want something that is adjustable. The more positions that a chair is capable of adjusting to, the more it can conform to the individual using it. And since everyone is different, you want a lot of options.

Ergonomics is all about how humans interact with their work environment. If you can make the right adjustments to your office that keep people happy, healthy and productive, your costs will go down and your profits will go up. So it makes sense not only from a people standpoint but also from a business perspective too.