Office ergonomics is very important and even more important after the pandemic occurred because more and more people are suffering from an unideal work environment as they had a sudden transition to working from home.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, almost half of the U.S. workforce that was previously working from home have now either set this as their permanent situation or coming back to the office. There are concerns around productivity regarding remote work but the research is mixed. In some cases, there are potential financial benefits for a company. Employers can save a hefty dollar while employees can save on gas and travel expenses not having to commuting to and from work. Office employees were experiencing back, neck, shoulder, and wrist pain when working in the office which is a more controlled environment with furniture standards. At home, it’s not the case which is scary. Individuals may not have set a dedicated workspace at home.
After the pandemic, there definitely is an elevated MSD risk due to all of the makeshift workstations that were created with items people had available to them at home already. You are not alone if you initially found yourself working on the couch or at the dinner table. These less-than-optimal conditions had many workers paying the price. As an ergonomist, we understand the real issues and how to correct the problem to get workers back to their full functioning self.
There no shame in where your ergonomics program is at. We all have to start somewhere. It’s usually best to get help from the start because it makes for more efficient use of company resources. Find an ergonomic specialist that looks out for your company’s budget but also offers you customized software and personal onsite services.
Not all companies and workers are so great at office ergonomics. If the shadows of pandemic persist in the workforce, they can grow into a chronic problem. Musculoskeletal diseases are born this way and during these times it is important to have employers adequately trained on how to identify poor workstation conditions as well as how to correct those issues or get assistance with these real needs. In doing this, a company can save in workers compensation, have a livelier and happier workforce that feels in control of their health and comfort at the workplace. Ergobility has many resources on proper setup of your workstation. If your business wants to explore training online and or in person, you should call Ergobility today for a free consultation.
