The Ergonomic Pitfalls of a Home Office (and How to Overcome Them)
The rush to work from home in the early days of the pandemic saw employees creating a home office on their kitchen tables, sofas and even beds. Makeshift workstations were set up on any suitable surface. Working in this way can put employees’ health at risk. With home working becoming a long term trend employers need to offer ergonomic solutions. Home working equipment such as adjustable desks, monitor arms and other flexible accessories help prevent the risks associated with desk jobs.
A non ergonomic home office setup leads to numerous physical health issues. Repetitive strain injuries can be caused by overuse and stress on the wrists and hands. Bad posture leads to musculoskeletal disorders such as chronic back and shoulder pain. Unhealthy equipment positioning in a work from home office can cause fatigue and discomfort which also reduces productivity.
electronically height adjustable home office desk
How do I create an ergonomic home office?
A sit stand desk in your home office allows you to stand comfortably whilst working. They are height adjustable so you can change the height of the desk and switch between sitting and standing. Research indicates that a sit-stand desk has impressive health benefits including lowering the risk of heart disease, reducing back pain, decreasing fatigue and improving mood.
An ergonomic chair will help prevent neck and lower back pain. Having a home office chair you can adjust to support the spine leads to a healthier posture with better concentration and productivity. Whatever your body size and shape an ergonomic chair can be adjusted to fit and keep you supported in a variety of healthy sitting positions. Buying the correct chair is essential when setting up a home office.
Tonique auto-balance chair
A home office monitor arm will give you the flexibility to adjust your screen so that it aligns with your eye level for ergonomic viewing. If you’re straining your eyes to see the screen, you’ll also start developing neck pain. Adding a monitor arm to your home office desk will help prevent this. It will also allow you to raise your monitor to the perfect position for sitting or standing working as well as freeing up some space on your desk.
If you are also spending time in an office as well as working from home you may want to consider a universal docking station. This allows you to use the same laptop at home and in the office. Rather than reconnecting multiple USB, monitor and power cables you can simply place your laptop on a docking station to convert it into a desktop. A USB-C docking station enables a desktop experience with a laptop so companies don’t have to pay extra for a larger desktop computer.
If you don’t have a monitor, a laptop support arm will raise your laptop to the most ergonomic level. As well as improving your home office ergonomics it helps keep your desk organised by creating extra space to add a separate keyboard and mouse.
For increased comfort, a desktop power socket is a useful piece of home office equipment. It means you won’t have to lean under your desk to plug in your PC and monitor.
Technologylinks desktop connectivity unit
Home Office Wellbeing Tips
Adjust your chair height so your feet are flat on the floor and your thighs are parallel to the floor
Position your monitor at arm’s length with the top of the screen at eye level
Take microbreaks - stand up, move around and stretch every 30 minutes or so
Give your eyes a break by looking into the distance for around 20 seconds every 20 minutes
Use a separate keyboard and mouse with your laptop while working in your home office
Maintain good posture by leaning your back against the back of your chair. A good ergonomic chair is a key piece of home office furniture
Make sure your mouse and keyboard are positioned in front of you for easy reach
Use an adjustable chair to ensure that your desk is level with your elbows and your screen is at eye level
Work at a desk or table with enough space underneath for you to move your chair as close to your desk as is comfortable
While using your keyboard or mouse, keep your wrists straight and your upper arms close to your body
For your home office needs Technology Desking has you covered with a great selection of chairs, desks, monitor arms and desktop power units. Take a look at our range here or visit our online shop below: