What about ergonomics
A subject whose relevance is never questioned!
Ergonomics is a science that simultaneously targets human health at work and its effectiveness. It goes well beyond the choice of a chair and a keyboard tray. The fields of application are numerous: furniture, lighting, air quality, sound environment, and much more.
First, the chair
The work chair is certainly the key to ergonomics at work. Choosing your ergonomic work chair is not an easy task. There are many things to consider, including cost. However, don’t let price affect your comfort. If you have to spend most of your working day sitting on a desk chair, you should think about the various adjustments offered to allow you to make the best choice that will benefit your body and your health in the long term.
Did you know that some chair manufacturers offer the option to choose between:
- Seats of different widths and depths;
- Fixed or slide seats to adjust seat depth;
- Cylinders of different lengths to adjust the height of your chair according to your needs;
- Backrests of different heights (e.g. medium and high backrests);
- Different models of armrests. Look for multi-directional versions that adjust armrests forward, backward, inside and out. You can adapt the same chair to people of different sizes.
When you find an ergonomic work chair that suits you, feel free to sit in it for several minutes, imitating the gestures you will make at your desk.
Get informed! This is the best way to get a chair that suits you!
Sit-stand worksations
For a few years now, we have been hearing about the benefits of sitting and standing. Is that a trend that’s going to run out of steam, or is it in the interest of business to move to that type of office?
In fact, the combination of standing and sitting would have real benefits for both our health and our productivity at work. Also, there are several models of height adjustable desks on the market, from the simple platform to the complete workstation. See here the detailed explanations of the EMBLM experts.
Positive impacts on health
It has been proven that sitting for long periods of time can have serious consequences for our health: increased risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and even depression. Even a very active person outside of work could experience these negative effects.
It’s good for your health, but is it effective at work?
There are clear benefits from working in a standing position. Simple and repetitive tasks can be completed more quickly, such as returning calls or cleaning up the mailbox and answering some of them.
You will also notice in trying this posture that meetings and team meetings will be shorter and more effective and that brainstorms will become more dynamic!
Should I replace all my furniture?
Adapting your workstation does not mean that you will have to dispose of your current office furniture, there are several options available to you. There are height adjustable platform solutions that are installed directly on the work desk.
Ergonomic desktop accessories such as the keyboard, mouse and screen are placed on the tray.
This is a practical solution that avoids replacing furniture. It is recommended especially in executive offices where the elegance of the furniture remains a priority.
It is also possible to obtain a height-adjustable work table, which allows you to keep at hand, and at the same height, all the equipment you need to perform your usual tasks: phone, keyboard and mouse, screen, pencils and notebook, etc. These work tables can have an electrical system for adjusting the height and it is also possible to add the option that memorizes the heights according to the user. The table will therefore always be adjusted to your height, whether you work standing or sitting.
Adapting to the workstation
Adjustment of the keyboard-mouse-screen kit is essential to optimize workstation ergonomics. However, this is complicated by a number of factors. In order to accommodate the position, consideration must be given to:
- The characteristics of the person in this position: visual correction, size, etc.;
- The nature of the tasks and the organization of the work;
- Equipment : type of computer and number of screens;
- Physical environment characteristics: workspace, lighting, window arrangement, room orientation, etc.
There are many books on the subject of workstation adaptation. We do not mention here the technical elements but it is important to consider the following principles:
- Place near you the items you use most often (e.g. phone, calculator);
- Remove the underside of the desk from cumbersome equipment that prevents natural and comfortable leg and foot posture;
- Maintain sufficient space around the desk to rotate, forward or back the chair to access the equipment;
- Avoid bending and twisting of the trunk and lifting loads while sitting;
- Position the screen perpendicular to the window (where possible) to reduce glare and glare.
EMBLM offers several products to optimize the ergonomics of your workspaces. You will find everything you need to adapt your workstation: keyboard mounts, CPU mounts, screen mounts, copy holders, footrests, collections of sit-up solutions, luminaires and chairs.
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