How to personalise your workstation for maximum comfort and productivity
A comfortable work environment is crucial for our wellbeing and focus. Getting comfort levels just right can be challenging though. Everyone is different. Factors such as age and gender can influence our heat and light requirements, for example. So how can a workplace meet everyone's needs?
Giving employees control over their own workstation environment is essential. It improves individual comfort levels and helps concentration. For example, personalising lighting at your desk is crucial in a trading floor or control room. Here workers may be putting in long hours under considerable pressure.
LED task lighting fitted to monitor mounting system
The impact of poor lighting
Poor lighting can affect your performance. It can have an impact on concentration which increases the risk of mistakes. If your workstation is dimmer than the room's ambient lighting, this will create some eyestrain. Differing light levels between the workstation and its surroundings can be an issue. It means your eyes must constantly adapt.
Controlling light at your workstation
Workstation LED task lighting is crucial in high-intensity work environments. Especially control rooms or trading floors. This type of lighting can be clamped to the desktop or mounted on your monitor arm.
Lighting can be located in other areas of the workstation too. For example, illuminated in-desk PC cabinets help when accessing IT equipment and cabling below the desk.
LED lighting with PIR can be added to in-desk PC cabinets
A company logo, backlit with LED lighting, can be fitted to the desk's end panel for a nice effect.
Localised console lighting gives an attractive look to a control room environment too. It makes it a more uplifting place to work.
LED lighting can be added to end and modesty panels
The benefits of desk lighting
Task lighting helps operators spotlight equipment or paperwork on their desks. It also alleviates eye strain from screen glare by reducing the contrast between the screen and any surrounding low light levels. Studies have shown adjustable desk lighting increases worker satisfaction too.
LED task lighting fitted to monitor mounting system
Temperature control at your workstation
IT equipment stored in cabinets below the desk can generate a lot of heat. Fans fitted below the desk flue will allow this heat to dissipate faster. You should be able to control the cabinet temperature at your desk. In-desk thermostatically controlled fans help adjust the volume of heat emanating from the cabinet.
A temperature controlled in-desk cabinet improves individual comfort levels and helps concentration. Increased comfort helps workers in high-pressure roles stay focused on long shifts.
In-desk/cabinet thermostatically controlled fan cooling
Ventilation options
Below desk IT cabinets need good ventilation to prevent computers from overheating. Steel is the best material for them to be made from as it disperses heat better than wood or particle board.
Inlet ventilation slots on the front of the cabinet (normally where the cooling inlet on a PC is located) and outlet slots at the desk flue allow the heat to dissipate. Heat dissipation is acheived either by natural convection or by forced convection with fans added below the desk flue.
The benefits of sit-stand desks
A height-adjustable desk is one of the best ways to improve comfort at your workstation. They're also essential in a control room or trading floor environment. They offer a significant level of functionality and ergonomics. Being able to change posture is ideal for situations where users spend long hours at their desks.
In a 24-hour control room, different shift workers may share the same console. With a standing desk, the work surface can be adjusted and preset to the user's preferred height. A dual worksurface desk can have a separate controller for adjusting the desk monitors independently from the main work surface. This extra adjustability allows it to accommodate a variety of body shapes and sizes.
Dual worksurface consoles
Adjusting between sitting and standing helps prevent fatigue and maintain alertness. This is essential for workers in high-pressure situations. Sit-stand desks have plenty of physical benefits, such as better circulation and reduced aches and pains.
Electronically height adjustable dual desktop linear control room desk
Ergonomic chairs
An ergonomic chair is essential for anyone working long hours in a pressurised role. Cheaper office chairs just won't cut it in this situation.
In a control room, for example, operator chairs are in use 24/7. People of differing heights, weights and body shapes may share them. For this reason, a 24-hour control room chair has to have a higher specification than the average task chair. It must be durable and well padded with good adjustment options.
An ergonomic chair provides a high level of support for your back. It allows you to adjust the seat height and angle to your specific body type. Being able to sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor is ideal.
Comfort levels are important. In a pressurised role, there may be fewer opportunities to take breaks. The chair's padding needs to be comfortable and supportive. A headrest can also ease neck strain when looking up at screens too.
A Quality Monitor Mounting System
Optimising your monitor position to suit your body and working situation is good for wellbeing and productivity. If you’re using multiple monitors this is important. In this situation, the type of monitor arm used needs special consideration. Monitor mounting systems should enable easy height, focal depth and tilt adjustment.
A post mounted monitor arm offers complete flexibility. It's suited to environments with multiple tiers of screens. This type of monitor arm allows easy monitor removal and fine height adjustment. In addition, you can position the monitors in either landscape or portrait orientation. This adjustability helps you set your monitors precisely to your requirements.
Are you looking to upgrade your workplace furniture? Our desks are all height adjustable, and we have a range of ergonomic chairs. Trading floor desks and control room consoles have built-in lighting and fan control for IT cabinets. Take a look at our products here!