Why You Should Be Using Ergonomic Tech in Your Office

Workplace safety has been a focal point of American businesses for over half a century. Since Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act in 1970, job-related incidents have declined. There were 10.9 injuries and illnesses per 100 workers in 1972. In 2018, the number fell to 2.8 per 100 workers. 

Modern technology allows businesses to improve their workplace safety even more with a concept known as ergonomic technology.

Ergonomic technology takes the design of products and optimizes them for human use. This science considers physical measurements such as height and weight and adjusts the function to cater to a specific person. This helps businesses tailor to their employees’ individual needs and improve their work.

Offices are a primary place to use ergonomic technology. It can benefit employees sitting at their desks in several ways.

Employees in a safe, comfortable workplace are more likely to be engaged and ready to work. They’ll feel more natural at a station designed to fit their needs, whereas being uncomfortable will leave them distracted and dissatisfied. Ergonomic offices increased worker performance by 50% in a National Library of Medicine study. 

One of the primary benefits of an ergonomic setup is the positive effects on your employees’ health. Ergonomic layouts will help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which affect your joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Workers who are comfortable and uninjured tend to show up more often. 

Ergonomic-friendly offices will also contribute positively to your employees’ mental health. A workplace optimized for people’s specific needs will boost creativity and productivity, and a comfortable office will reduce the effects of mental illness on your workers.  

There are various ways to improve your employees’ environments by changing their workspaces. Some upgrades you can make include:

Having a chair at the proper height is essential for your employees. They may need to adjust it depending on their workspace and their physical needs, so having a chair they can modify will help their back and their posture.

Many office workers like to sit at their desks while they work, while others may feel more productive standing up while using their computer, talking on the phone or meeting with a client. Flexibility with their desk will help your employees maximize their productivity how they want. 

Weird Al Yankovic said his ergonomic keyboard never leaves him bored, so why not provide the same for your office? These keyboards optimize comfort for your hands and can help prevent injury by their design. Typical keyboards do not fit your hands as well as an ergonomic one, thus lowering the strain on your carpal tunnel.

A laptop riser will help you or anybody else in the office who works on a laptop. This gadget will raise the laptop to eye level, which helps your posture. You can face forward with your neck, shoulders and lower back straightened out instead of bending over. Pair the laptop riser with a wireless keyboard for an optimized workstation.

Your shoes will touch the floor whether you sit or stand at your desk. A padded mat will help employees rest their feet and reduce the strain caused by a hard floor.

When you think of ergonomic technology, you may think of other items before your office’s lighting, but it is an essential element of your workplace. You may need to consult your employees about their preferences because everyone has different needs. Some devices you can use to improve sight include indirect light sources like lamps, a monitor visor to reduce glare and a monitor large enough to read the text on the screen.

Whether you work at home, at your company’s office or anywhere else, you need a workstation to provide you and your employees with the comfort you need. Workplace safety has improved in the last few decades, and some driving reasons have been legislation and a concerted effort to enhance ergonomic technology in the office. Minor upgrades can positively affect your physical and mental health.