One most recommended workplace equipment, especially in the office, is an ergonomic chair and ergonomic desk. However, with the new normal set-up, work is usually done at home, especially that online jobs are becoming a great potential.
At an average, an employee spends about 8 hours a day sitting at their desks. Thus, there is an increasing number of work injury complaints and a sharp decrease in employee wellness and workplace happiness reports. What can you, as an employer, do about this employee epidemic?
You have your things ready for work; your computer, mouse, phone, notebooks, pens, and desk. The problem is, the desk isn’t intentionally created for you. It can just be for anyone, but not specifically for your height and your size. Consequently, the desk that you will work with for almost 6 hours every day is the one adding to your stress, besides the stressful and tiresome that you have.
One simple solution is to invest in ergonomic office furniture. Ergonomics is useful in the office and beneficial anywhere you sit or stand for a long time, just like in your home when working from home. Ergonomic furniture and equipment support good posture and well-being through its innovative design and comfort, including an ergonomic desk beside your ergonomic chair. Why?
Benefits of Setting the Proper Desk Height
Knowing the right and perfect height of the desk than just considering comfort is moreimportant. An ergonomic desk and seating option can help you become more productive as you minimize injuries and avoid distractions in the workplace or home. Here are some of the critical benefits of ergonomics in the workplace associated with using the proper desk height for workers:
- Reduces physical stress
- Helps workers stay focused
- Lower risks (and associated business costs) of musculoskeletal disorders
- Lesser sick leave by minimizing injuries
- Higher productivity
- Increases workplace engagement
The Trick to Knowing the Right Desk Height
There are varying height and sizes of persons, so there is no single height that is the best for every office desk or home desk for work. Knowing that there’s a little trick that caters to each individual is the key to determining the optimal desk height.
A worker (that includes you) typically sits at the desk (or stand, if it’s a standing desk) with his or her arms at his or her sides. You can then move your elbows to a 90-degree angle, and it should be easy and comfortable for you to place both hands on the desk. If the elbows are at more than a 90-degree angle, you need to raise the desk or lower down the chair. On the other hand, if the elbows are at less than a 90-degree angle, the desk should be lowered, or the chair should be raised.
How to Achieve the Right Height of the desk for Multiple Workers
It may be an easy trick to determine the proper desk height for a home office or a desk used by only one individual. How about if different persons share one desk?
In a workplace where there is a 24/7 work environment, like in dispatch jobs or in process control, transportation, government, utilities, and even casinos, people work at different shifts. Even at home, when you have one common workplace of the workstation where you share one desk with anyone who’s staying in the same house.
This is when flexible seating options are crucial. Thus, an ergonomic desk paired with an ergonomic chair would work best for easy adjustments of the proper height to suit your comfort even when working for a long time. When one person ends a shift, then another takes over, the chair and the desk can be repositioned to make proper posture possible.
Health Benefits of Ergonomic Desks at Home or in Any Workplace
Reduces Pain
Long-standing or prolonged sitting that reaches about 6 hours every day is physically tiring and causes back pain and even muscle cramps. Investing a little on ergonomic furniture and equipment lessens the physical stress to you and, in return, can save you money from visiting massage and spa for relaxation. Much more than that, ergonomic desks and chairs lessen back pains and even correct your posture realign your spine, prevent arthritis, and reduce the number of work-related injuries overall. Meaning, you save a lot of money by protecting your health.
Boosts Productivity
When you feel very minimal pain and discomfort when working, you are more likely to boost productivity. Also, good health employees will have fewer distractions from performing at their best and creating high-quality work. And since ergonomic furniture can reduce work-related injuries, that means employees will spend less time away from work due to illness and injury and more time at the office.
Improves Wellness
The last benefit of ergonomic furniture set is their ability to improve your wellness. Wellness is not just the physical being, but also mental health. When you invest in your wellness and health through ergonomic furniture, that only means you care about your health and your life. A healthy you mean a healthy family and a healthy home.