Be Proactive: The Benefits of Ergonomics In The Office Environment

Ergonomics improve the efficiency of the workplace by prioritising the consideration of usability, comfort and employee safety, and incorporating such in the design - or redesign - of the working environment. Ignoring office ergonomics can seriously compromise the speed and efficiency of your work, as well as risking discomfort and potentially more serious health and safety concerns. On the other hand, making use of an ergonomically designed workstation is an overall more enjoyable, more rewarding experience.

Ergonomic stresses on the body can lead to a number of illnesses and disorders of the muscles, joints and nerves. For example, cumulative trauma disorders are induced and aggravated by repetitive movements and awkward posture, while back disorders occur as a result of pulling and straining muscles, ligaments or spinal disks. Many of these repetitive strain injuries can be avoided simply by taking into account the ergonomic concerns of your workstation.

Furthermore, companies and commercial organisations are obliged to pay out on thousands of injury compensation claims each year, in response to muscles strains and joint overextension injuries sustained by employees as a consequence of an ergonomically unsound working environment. Thus, the improvement of office ergonomics is beneficial to both employer, who can save money on injury compensation; and employee, who can do without injury and discomfort at work.

The act of preempting ergonomic stresses and taking action before a problem even occurs is commonly referred to as proactive ergonomics. Installing fully adjustable desktop support stands for flatscreen lcd monitors and laptops reduces the risk of injury caused by bad posture and overextension as well as improving employee comfort and, consequently, job satisfaction.

Another ergonomic solution to overextension injuries and workplace discomfort is flat computer keyboards that do not require the user to hold their wrists at an awkward upward angle. Wrist pain can signify serious underlying causes such as Arthritis or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, so avoiding wrist strain during long periods of working at the computer is an essential aspect of office ergonomics. Flat keyboards significantly reduce the risk of wrist pain or discomfort, as the wrist need not be raised at all when using the keyboard. Furthermore, correct placement of the keyboard on the desk, with regards to your sitting position and posture, can help avoid strains to the back or arms.

Proactive office ergonomics is a forward thinking approach to improve the efficiency of any commercial environment. By placing usability and comfort as the first and foremost of concerns when considering the design of a workstation, an employer can ensure that their office space surpasses that of competitors in terms of intuitiveness and employee satisfaction, as well as fundamental efficiency of work.

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