Ergonomics for Office Workers - Employer Considerations
22.12.2022
Improving ergonomics in the workplace can help employees to work more productively and efficiently, all while avoiding injuries that can occur when working with the wrong equipment.
Sometimes all it takes is some small swaps and adjustments to a workstation to make it more ergonomically compatible for an employee, but other times larger changes need to be made.
You can find out more information with our ergonomic checklist for employers - but first, read on to discover why it’s so important to consider ergonomics for your employees and some of the ways you can implement ergonomics in your workplace.
Why is ergonomic design important in the workplace?
Ergonomic design helps protect workers, allowing them to work comfortably and without injury. Employers have a responsibility to support the health and safety of employees and helping to prevent injury while working with ergonomic design is just one way to do this.
When employees work with the wrong equipment, they will be more at risk of injury. This includes their desk and workstation setup as well as the tools they use and the tasks they have to complete. Equipping staff with the right ergonomic equipment will help them to avoid aches and pains that can come from working at a desk.
Employees who can work comfortably are able to focus better on their tasks and work more productively. Healthier workers are also usually happier workers, who are better engaged and able to work more creatively.
When an employer takes proactive steps to protect their employees, it shows a duty of care is being taken. This can also help employees to feel more valued and satisfied, which can be encouraging for them and help them thrive at work.
Supporting employees’ health and safety through ergonomics can have benefits for the business, as healthy employees won’t need to take as much time off work to attend medical appointments. Those that are injured through working at incorrectly set up workstations may need to take time away from work, which can mean an increased workload on other employees or a reduction in output. Ergonomic design helps to avoid this issue.
How to improve ergonomics for office workers
There are a few things to consider when considering ergonomic design in the workplace.
Desk ergonomics
Adjustable desks are ideal for your workforce, as they will allow each individual user to set up their workstation to suit their height and needs. A sit stand desk can be a great ergonomic solution for office workers, as it allows individuals to switch between sitting and standing, to encourage movement.
Our Leitz Ergo Cosy Standing Desk Converter has a pneumatic-assisted adjustment to make it quick and easy to switch between a traditional sitting desk and standing. It moves the workstation straight up or down as needed within its own footprint, which saves on space.
Our sit stand desk converter helps to improve health and wellbeing and thanks to the simple setup, it means no time is wasted in switching. It allows employees to work comfortably and efficiently, avoiding aches and pains that come with sitting or standing for too long.
You can combine a sit stand desk with an anti-fatigue mat to promote employees’ comfort even further. Our Leitz Ergo Cosy Anti Fatigue Mat helps to promote a healthy posture and support for the feet. It’s made with a strong and durable foam cushion that won’t tear or lose shape over time, making it perfect for office use.
Display set up
One feature of a correctly set up ergonomic workstation is the position of the displays. The screens your staff use should be placed at the correct height, so the individual doesn’t have to slouch or strain to view them properly. The monitor should be directly in front of the employee with the top of the screen at eye level.
Each individual will have a different height for their monitors that works for them. So, it can be best to get adjustable monitor risers so they can be adapted to each person’s needs. The Leitz Ergo WOW Adjustable Monitor Stand lifts the screen to the optimum viewing height, with two different height options.
Our monitor stand has a sleek, minimalist design with a small footprint to save space on the desk. It also has space underneath for a keyboard to be stored, helping to keep the desk free of clutter when it’s not in use.
If your employees use laptops to work, you can also help with their ergonomic setup. They should be equipped with a laptop stand to raise the screen to the correct height, as well as a separate keyboard and mouse to avoid straining their wrists.
Our Leitz Ergo Adjustable Multi-Angle Laptop Stand offers multiple viewing angles for laptops, with various heights, so each individual user can find their perfect viewpoint. An integrated hook ensures a stable grip at any angle and rubber feet on the stand keep the laptop stand in place on the desk. With a small footprint and space underneath to store tools, it also works great on compact desks.
Ergonomic workstation setup
As well as positioning displays in the right place, the other tools used by employees should also be correctly positioned. Their keyboard and mouse should be used with the forearms held out straight to not cause strain to the wrists.
Their other desk equipment, such as a phone, stapler, hole punch, and letter trays should all be within easy reach to prevent strain. They should also be out of the way when not in use, to prevent the desk from getting cluttered. A desk organiser can help to keep tools close by and tidy.
If staff will need to use the phone whilst also doing another task, such as typing, they should be equipped with a headset so they can do this comfortably. People shouldn’t have to hold their phone to their ear with their shoulder so they can use their hands, as this can cause neck injuries.
Ergonomic office chairs
Ergonomic office chairs are a key part of giving your staff the right ergonomic workstation. You should speak to your staff to see if they have any particular conditions that might affect what kind of chair they need. Those with ongoing back problems or those that are pregnant may need a different type of chair to others.
An individual’s office chair should hold them at the correct height so they can use their desk equipment comfortably and view their monitors. They should also be able to keep their feet flat on the floor or use a foot rest. Our Leitz Ergo Cosy Desk Foot Rest is multi-use, with a flat side to support your feet or a rounded side so it can be used as an ankle rocker.
A seat cushion can also help with an individual’s posture. Our Leitz Ergo Cosy Seat Cushion works with any chair and helps to promote a healthy posture and easy pressure on the spine. It can help users to avoid injuries that can come from long periods of sitting, such as sciatica.
Some people might benefit from using a sitting ball at their desk. Our sitting ball chair help to improve core strength and promote movement while working and is a great option for employees to switch up their working position. Our sitting ball hair has a washable cover to keep it clean and a durable carry handle to easily move it around the office.
Another option is a desk stool. Our Leitz Ergo Cosy Active Sit Stand Stool is perfect for use with our standing desk converter, as it features an adjustable height so it can be used when the desk is raised or lowered.
Our desk stool also has a rounded base, which promotes movement to ease muscle strain and encourage circulation while working. This can help to avoid aches and pains that come from sitting still and in the same position for too long.
Office environment
As well as individual workstations, ergonomics can be extended to the entire office environment. The lighting in the office should be considered. Where possible, it’s best to allow in as much natural light as possible to prevent eye strain.
For darker days or areas of the office, soft lighting should be used. Light sources should be positioned so they don’t create a glare on employees’ screens but also, so they give enough light to comfortably use monitors for long periods of time.
You should also consider the temperature in the office. It shouldn’t be too warm or too cold. Bear in mind that everyone will have different optimum temperatures, so it can be helpful to provide fans or heaters for different parts of the office. Alternatively, you can allow people to move around the office and work at whichever desk where they’re most comfortable.
Taking breaks
You should encourage employees to take plenty of breaks throughout the day. This should include time away from the desk, even for a quick walk around the office. This can help to prevent injury that comes from sitting in one position for too long.
You can help encourage employees to take time away from their desks by creating a breakout room for them. This could be an area with comfy seats where people can take a quick break to have a hot drink or take a longer break to have lunch.
Employees who regularly take small breaks through the day will be able to avoid injury and come back to their work refreshed and ready to focus.
Home office setup
Employees who work from home or are hybrid working should be reminded of the importance of ergonomics for their work from home setup too. Their home office ergonomics should reflect those in the workplace, including the tools, desk, and chair they use, as well as how they set up their equipment.
It might be helpful to equip them with items that can travel between the home and office. For example, our Leitz Cosy Adjustable Laptop Stand folds up flat, so it can be easily transported in a laptop bag and used wherever needed.
Leitz has a range of ergonomic office equipment and home office essentials to help your employees work comfortably and productively.
Read more about improving ergonomics in the workplace:
How to Identify and Fix Poor Ergonomics at Your Workstation