The importance of ergonomics when it comes to office furniture
If you are like millions of other workers across the country, you spend long, consecutive hours camped in an office chair staring at a computer screen. There’s also a good chance your posture is less than ideal, and day after day of slumped shoulders and curved spine isn’t doing your overall health any favors.
Ergonomics is more than just a marketing buzzword to sell fancy office chairs. In fact, ergonomics is a formal arena of scientific and medical study that happens to have a direct impact on workplace dynamics. When it comes to office furniture, ergonomics matters.
Ergonomics and you
Ergonomically sound furniture makes a big difference in everyday work environments. The difference between a “good” chair and a “bad” one is evident in reduced employee stress, fewer nagging aches and fatigue, and a dramatic boost in productivity. Studies have shown that ergonomic furniture has a direct impact on increasing speed and efficiency of work by easing the load on the body’s typical pressure points. On the other hand, neglecting employee health rapidly devolves into more serious health problems, errors in work, sick days and company-wide financial loss.
The right furniture makes the grade
Simply defined, ergonomic furniture is specifically designed to foster comfortable sitting and working positions for long time periods. Not only is this type of furniture noticeably more comfortable, it helps prevent injury to the shoulders, neck, and lower back. Adjustable supports from height to lumbar to tilt all combine to dial in the ideal position for long days of productive work.
Ergonomic furniture options
Today’s busy and conscientious managers have plenty of options in terms of quality office furniture. In addition to standing and sit-stand desks, other popular choices include kneeling chairs, stability balls, reclining chairs and even inverted, face-down “chairs” that are certainly not mainstream but some workers swear by them.
The end result is ergonomic furniture is very effective at improving posture while removing muscle strain and that all-over tired feeling from your head and neck to hips, knees and even your feet. Keep in mind that ergonomic related injuries lead to roughly 12 days a year of missed work time, costing far more than the typical expense of securing quality furniture at the outset. For example, health coverage to address an inflamed wrist runs more than $30,000.
An added and enduring bonus is placing ergonomics as a priority makes a statement to employees that you care for their health, and that sentiment is returned in productivity and loyalty.