Ergonomic Checklist for Employers
A guide for Ergonomics in the workspace
Focussing on better working conditions is important in every place of work and must take into consideration health and wellbeing, economic factors and the individual’s point of view. The requirements for an “ideal workplace”, however, is often seen as a contradiction in terms.
Since no one person is the same, an ergonomic workplace must be designed to adapt to the individual and his or her personal situation. This benefits both employees and the business.
Leitz and the Institute for Health and Ergonomics are working together to provide products that can help businesses with the changing demands of healthy working environments. The focus is on new ways of working in the office, on the move and from home.
Why is Ergonomics important for your company?
In 2020, the average work absence rates were 17.1 days per employee, which resulted in a total of 700.6 million days off work. Based on this volume of incapacity to work, the BAuA estimates economic losses of 87 billion euros or a gross value loss totalling 144 billion euros. Did you know that one sick day is estimated to cost a company between 500 - 1000 €?
Main Reason for absenteeism
A high percentage of health problems suffered by employees are due to inadequate ergonomics in the workplace. For example, in 2020, 22.6% of absences from work were due to diseases affecting joints, bones and muscle.
Ergonomic setup tips: How to apply ergonomics in the workplace?
Offer solutions against poor posture
Moving between sitting and standing while working makes for a much healthier lifestyle. Leitz Ergo Cosy Adjustable Standing Desk Converters allow you to convert your existing tables or desks making it easy for your employees to switch between sitting and standing. The Leitz Ergo Cosy Adjustable Laptop Stand is also ideal for staying active while working and will keep the laptop screen at the correct height to support good posture.
For longer days and if the use of a chair is required , the Leitz Ergo Cosy Adjustable Keyboard and Mouse Wrist Rests will help minimise the impact from common complaints such as repetitive strain injury. You can also add a Leitz Ergo Cosy Seat Cushion and Footrest to your existing chairs to improve comfort and posture or use the Leitz Ergo Cosy Sit Stand stool as an alternative seating option.
Our tip: Leitz Ergo Cosy Laptop Stand
Correct adjustment of monitor height is important for promoting sitting and standing dynamics. Our Laptop Stand supports your employees to achieve an improved posture.
The dangers of reduced movement
Employees spend 80% of the day sitting down looking at screens. Over 30% of people between the ages of 35 – 50 have chronic back problems. More than 30% of all absenteeism is due to muscular and skeletal disorders. (Source: Statistics of the company health insurance funds)
Sedentary lifestyle
We sit down at breakfast, in the car or public transport travelling to work (and back again) and then in the office for an average of 7 hours per day. And all to often at home we spend the whole day sitting down watching TV, on a tablet or mobile phone. Unfortunately, this does not improve in the home office.
What are the results of sitting too long?
Sitting down for long periods of time lowers metabolism, fewer calories are burnt and the risk of obesity and diabetes increases. It also causes deposits to form on blood vessels causing higher risk of heart attack and stroke as abdominal fat increases. Messenger substances are also produced, which interfere with the body's immune system.
Sitting is unavoidable - Variety is the solution
The average office worker spends 80,000 hours sitting during their working life. The solution to this is variety. The "Magic Formula" for office workers is: 60 % sitting, 30 % standing and 10 % moving.
Our tip: Leitz Ergo Cosy Standing Desk Converter
This space saving desk converter instantly transforms any table or desk into a sit stand workstation to encourage movement and burn extra calories while working. Quick and easy to set-up, the pneumatic assisted adjustment will effortlessly lift the stand to the perfect height.
How to apply Ergonomics to shared workspaces?
New ideas for the effective use of office space has led to the idea of alternating desks. With the growth of the home office, hot-desking has become much more commonplace. Large companies are realising that physical location is less important in growing their business and maintaining an efficient work environment.
This has resulted in new challenges for respective shared desk users and the question that arises each time is "How do I set up my workspace correctly?"
Help with setting up office chairs
When employees are sharing office chairs, it is important to ensure clear instructions are available for making adjustments and ensuring the best seating position. Each chair should be clearly identified with a visible sticker naming the brand and model number. The user can then easily find operating instructions on the internet or in a user manual.
Introduce an Ergopass
In order to be able to work effectively at different desks, regularly setting up equipment correctly creates a personal ergo passport. Every employee is encouraged to record his/her/their individual requirements and take them from desk to desk.
Our tip: Leitz Ergo Cosy Anti-Fatigue Mat
This standing desk mat helps create a comfortable and active workspace. Designed to promote a healthy posture, improve circulation and provide strong sole support, resulting in reduced fatigue and leg and foot pain that can be caused by prolonged standing.
The influence of light, acoustics and climate
The influence of acoustics, light and climate on our work environment is particularly important as we experience longer working hours and higher, more intense workloads.
Acoustics
Empirical studies have shown that noise both in the office and at home is viewed as a serious issue. For example, telephone calls can result in a high volume of noise, affecting concentration and causing disruption to surrounding workers. Providing sound-proof walls and sound-absorbing plants and accessories is an effective solution.
Light
In modern office landscapes, changing the lighting colour can achieve certain effects on the workforce. Using blue lighting, especially in winter, recreates the outdoors and results in increased productivity. Red lighting on the other hand, has a calming effect and is perfect for winding down. Creating lighting zones depending on the time of day or the job at hand is recommended as different activities require different levels of light. The light intensity and also the light temperature should be adjusted to ensure the best working environment.
Climate
The office climate has a strong influence on the health and wellbeing of employees. When the air temperature, air humidity and air movement in the room are optimal, a pleasant and comfortable working environment can be achieved. The perception of comfort can vary from person to person and is mainly dependent on the level of activity, clothing, length of stay, seasonal fluctuations and personal preference. Offices are usually ventilated using windows or air conditioning, but by adding an air purifier rooms will be filled with fresh, clean air.
Our tip: Leitz TruSens Z-3000 Air purifier
Leitz TruSens Air Purifiers will provide employees with protection from airborne germs, odours and allergens by removing all impurities from the air. The innovative SensorPods constantly monitor air quality while the PureDirect™ technology ensures the clean air is distributed evenly to provide comfort for everyone in the office.
Legal Regulations & Employer Ergonomic Requirements
Legal regulations always specify the capacity for change in workplace design. The provisions of Directive 89/391/EEC is a European Union directive for all EU members, with the objective of introducing measures that encourage improvements in the health and safety of employees at work. It is described as a "Framework Directive" for occupational safety and health (OSH) by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The implementation is country-specific and translated into concrete instructions for action in the national occupational health and safety regulations. To air on the side of caution, it is important to comply with the minimum requirements of these regulations.
Tested & Recommended by IGR
The IGR Institute for Health and Ergonomics are in full support of Leitz and have thoroughly examined each of their products to award the IGR quality seal. The main criteria for an "ergonomic product" is usability and adaptation to the requirements of different users, taking into account DIN 26800 EN ISO 15537. We know that no one person is the same, but everyone still deserves equally excellent working conditions!
Award Winning Design
Leitz Ergo Cosy products were awarded the prestigious German Design Award in 2022, which recognises outstanding design, adapting to the challenges of our time and thinking further ahead. The top-class international jury statement read “With an attractive, modern finish and ergonomic design, the “Leitz Ergo Cosy” range creates harmonious living and office environments.”