The Importance of Ergonomics While Working Remotely

Many Americans are quickly finding that their once-temporary remote work situations are now becoming more long-term, or even permanent, arrangements. With many companies announcing office closures through the end of the year and beyond, it’s more crucial than ever for employees to pay attention to the ergonomics of their “home offices.”

Ergonomics may seem obvious in some instances such as understanding the importance of having your feet resting firmly on the floor, keeping knees and hips roughly at the same level, positioning a keyboard at elbow height or keeping monitors at eye level. While easily done in an office setting, employees face a challenge in finding a comfortable setup when home furniture is drastically different from that frequently used in the workplace. To increase productivity and efficiency, employees must incorporate comfort, creativity and adaptability when assembling or rearranging their home offices.

Identify the Best Location

The kitchen table is a commonly-chosen work from home location, but it can be an uncomfortable place to work long hours due to its inadequate setup for typing and lack of appropriate legroom due to table support panels. Adjustments are encouraged when working in this location; consider raising the seat height or investing in an adjustable laptop table so elbows are level with keyboard or adding a footrest/sturdy box for foot support. Spatial alignment of your desk area is crucial for ensuring a pain-free and posture-perfect working environment.

Space permitting, investing in a small desk for a home office is optimal for a productive remote workstation. Many factors are considered when buying a desk, but the most important is the size of your computer and equipment, its height and flexibility. Obviously, the primary focus is having enough room for your technology and paperwork needed throughout the day while remaining comfortable. A great option is an electric sit-to-stand desk, which have reduced in price over the last few years and gained popularity, making them an easy work from home option. 

Maximizing Small Spaces

Employees may face issues when looking to set up a home office, as many do not have the appropriate amount of space for a full desk, let alone a dining room table. With little options, one might set up workshop on the bar between the kitchen and the living room even though its height is not ideal: too high for traditional seated work and too low for standing work. Additionally, others might be living in the same environment, making it more difficult to focus and complete tasks. So, what can people do to make the most conducive work environment given the situation?

Adaptability is key! Finding a chair or stool with height range that allows elbows to be level with the counter or even adding a footrest are the first steps to ensuring long-term comfort and good posture. Headphones also work as a great sound barrier to minimize distractions when working closely with others. These steps will increase productivity by creating a comfortable, focused environment when working in small spaces. 

Listening to Your Body

When sitting at a desk for a prolonged period, many experience discomfort or pain if the position is not good for posture. Some employees might have to readjust to a full-time seated desk if they had sit-to-stand options in the workplace. It’s important to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day to ease pain.

The simple act of standing up and sitting back down can increase blood circulation, ultimately helping alleviate discomfort experienced from extended sitting. Taking micro-breaks for 30 seconds every 15-20 minutes are a great way to ease discomfort. Another option is standing during phone or video calls that do not require the simultaneous use of a computer. For a more permanent option, investing in desktop converters and electric sit-to-stand tables are a great way to seamlessly transition your workstation during the day. However, sit-to-stand desks can also be made from items already in your home, such as crates, ironing boards or books.

While most have already adjusted to this temporary new normal, for some, the end is not near. With employees expected to continue working remotely for the immediate future, ensuring the ergonomics of home workstations and proper body alignment are crucial to minimizing discomfort and potential long-term issues while increasing productivity and efficiency at home. To foster a physically and mentally healthy workplace culture, employers are encouraged to communicate with employees on the importance of ergonomics to set them up for continued success. Only time will tell how long remote work will last, but employee productivity and health will be determined by those who make these adjustments sooner rather than later.

By Lisa Orr

Lisa Orr is a Certified Professional Ergonomist and is a Senior Human Factors consultant with Sedgwick. Lisa has 26 years of experience providing loss prevention/human factors design and research services for a variety of industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, apparel, newspaper/publishing, banking/finance, retail, transportation, and public entities. Consulting with local, regional, and national employers, she assists them in developing, implementing, and evaluating loss prevention program strategies. She specializes in the assessment of overall work processes, compliance, training, onsite evaluations and analytics. Lisa graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln with her M.S. in Industrial Engineering (specializing in human factors).  Her B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering is from the University of Houston.  She is a member of the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics; she is also a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. 

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