ERGONOMIC FURNITURE
CONTINUED
Hybrid working has been established in the UK for more than five years now. When it first took off during the pandemic, many people started out at kitchen tables or in bedrooms out of necessity, having been forced to work at home at short notice. Now, many people work at home regularly, some have more permanent setups in place with dedicated furniture, yet some still don’t. “Despite 81% of businesses supporting hybrid working, only 63% of employees have a designated work area at home,” says Annaliese Curtis, trade marketing manager – UK & Ireland at Fellowes, taking statistics from Fellowes- commissioned research from January. “This leads to makeshift setups that aren’t ergonomically correct. Indeed, 75% say their workstation assessment was done a long time ago or not at all, and only 21% believe their employer is investing in the right ergonomic equipment.” In addition, Leitz’s GfK research among desk workers assessed where people are working, when they are at home and while 47% say they have a room set aside for working in, the rest are fitting in with other needs: 22% of the sample are working in a dedicated space that is part of a larger room, 17% work in a temporary place in their main living room, 5% in the kitchen and 6% in the bedroom. Martina Alexander, marketing director at Leitz, adds that many employees will not have their hybrid workspaces ergonomically optimised. “Whether employees are working in traditional offices, from their homes, in co-worker spaces, always travelling from one digital oasis to the next, or adopting a hybrid work model, their wellbeing is essential for personal and organisational success, from absenteeism to staff retention to individual and collective quality of output,” she says. Problems incoming Not having an optimised ergonomic setup in a home office can cause problems
for employees – and their employers as a result. “When the set-up isn’t right, employees can suffer from back pain, eye strain or repetitive stress injuries,” notes Kevin Xing, product manager at BOLEO. “For employers, it often shows up as people needing more time off or struggling to stay focused. At the end of the day, if people aren’t comfortable, their work will suffer too.” James Mackie from BestBuy Office Chairs, adds that in the long-term unergonomic furniture poses a higher risk for the development of serious musculoskeletal issues. “This can result in poor concentration and decreased productivity when working from home,” he says. “This is not only an issue for employees, but it can negatively impact a company's overall performance.” Annaliese agrees that poor ergonomics can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. “Two in three workers experience pain or discomfort, with 50% feeling it most days,” she says. “Over a third have taken time off due to pain, and the average cost of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is around £6,500, according to Gitnux. “Only half of employers address all issues found in assessments, despite a legal obligation to protect staff from DSE-related health risks. Up to 75% of employees are considering leaving for a job that better supports their wellbeing.” Martina notes that people are sitting more and moving less. “Sitting too much is unhealthy but those who work ergonomically not only ensure a pain-free
Contributors
Annaliese Curtis
fellowesbrands.com
Martina Alexander
leitz.com
James Mackie
bestbuy-officechairs.co.uk
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