Like any community, a business cannot function without the collective efforts of its members. But what drives employees to produce outstanding outputs? Unlike the more obvious factors such as quality leadership and healthy communication skills, attention to creating a proper physical work environment often falls to the bottom of the list of priorities. The increasingly prevalent study of office ergonomics has demonstrated that personal comfort is directly related to employee satisfaction and productivity.
Office ergonomics is the scientific, interdisciplinary study of individuals and their physical relationship to their work environment. Without a mindfully designed work environment, employees may suffer from musculoskeletal pains such as fatigue, joint pain and stiffness, inflammation, lack of coordination, and so on.
In order to work effectively and efficiently, proper workplace design should be observed. The office should be spacious enough to allow you to stretch, and computers should be arranged so that monitors are kept at a safe distance from the eyes. The careful and strategic arrangement of tables, chairs, and document organizers can help create the optimal work space.
Aside from work space design, there are also several practices that can help avoid common but unhealthy habits. Instead of sitting for a prolonged period of time in the same position, it is advised to take a short break every 20 minutes or so. It can be as simple as stretching or it could be a quick stroll to the break room for some coffee. For repetitive movements, such as continuous typing, it is recommended to try varying your work activities in order to flex different muscles, or utilizing business support services.
Office ergonomics are an essential component of the modern office. The theory is well documented and widely supported by doctors and professionals (through the use of awareness campaigns, websites, etc.) to educate people on the direct link between physical health and ergonomics.
Beyond the health implications, proper office ergonomics also assist in the creation of an aesthetically pleasing and relaxed atmosphere; which in turn leads to increased employee satisfaction and productivity. Fully-furnished and serviced office space addresses many of these concerns by providing ergonomically appropriate furnishings and on-demand support services for assistance with the most common ‘ergonomic offenders’ such as typing, mass mailings, and other repetitive-movement tasks. In order to run your company at the most optimal level, comfort must be viewed as a necessity rather than a luxury. In the end, everyone wins. :-)
