Office furniture is an important investment for a business and there are a lot of things to consider when choosing which furniture to go with. There’s color, size, shape, price, and many more. But one factor that may not be as obvious right away is the health benefits of your office furniture. Incorporating ergonomic office furniture into your business can increase your workers productivity and overall well-being, while reducing health related costs for both you and your employee.
However before you purchase any ergonomic furniture there are several points to consider such as the individual, the types of tasks they will be performing, the space available in the office.
- First let’s assess the individual and what things to consider. To ensure the office equipment fits them properly it is important to take into account the person’s body size, height, gender, and whether they are right handed or left handed. Getting the wrong sized ergonomic equipment could actually have the opposite affect and end up causing more injury than good.
- Next look at what task each individual performs so they are outfitted with the right equipment and you know the right equipment to buy. There is no sense in purchasing ergonomic equipment that person doesn’t use or get value from. Consider whether the person does a lot of typing, answers phones, takes notes, files papers, or uses a mouse.
- Lastly, review the layout of the office. Consider how much space you have to work with by taking into account the measurements of the office and where windows are located. Next, look at the arrangement of the existing furniture in your building. Think about what types of computers are predominantly being used, where light sources are located, and how employees interact in the space. Do people have a specific location they like to talk at, or use a specific path to get to office equipment such as a printer? Knowing how your space is used and the dimensions of it will help you when deciding what ergonomic furniture to purchase.
Knowing these helpful tips will assist you when it comes time to buy ergonomic office furniture. In the next blog post we will cover what types of furniture to consider for ergonomic benefits.
