How much emphasis does your company place on ergonomics? It is something that is easily overlooked by many small businesses, but whether you are a law firm or a website design company, it is something that is very important to the overall health and success of your employees. Ergonomics covers both physical stresses and environmental factors. Physical stresses are the repetitive motions, like typing, that can lead to injuries. Environmental factors are issues like noise and improper lighting. Here are some simple things you can do to improve your workplace ergonomics:
- Encourage employees to take a quick break every 30 minutes and stretch or take a lap around the office. Provide employees with simple exercises they can do throughout the day at their desks.
- Educate employees on proper posture. The best position is to sit away from the back of the chair with feet firmly on the ground.
- Hold standing meetings or consider offering employees standing desks.
- Set up work areas properly. Monitors should be 20 to 40 inches from the eye to the front of the computer screen. Make sure desks are the appropriate height. If they are too high, raise the chair and then provide the employee a proper foot rest.
- Provide the correct lighting. Give employees desk lamps with multiple pivot points so that they can adjust them to provide light across their entire viewing area.