With the number of people working from home more than double pre-pandemic levels, there is a greater need for a correct and comfortable home-work setup to boost productivity and general health and wellbeing.
More than 70 percent of people have experienced a better work-life balance since working from home.
“Working from home should be as well set up and comfortable as working in an office and standard home furniture, such as a sofa or dining chair, is not designed to support the body in a suitable position for inputting into a computer. Setting your home office up in an ergonomic way is vital to your effectiveness and to limit the risk of aches, pains and injuries,” says Katharine Metters, Lead Consultant in Ergonomics at Posturite.
Should you have a designated work space?
Posturite identified only 48 percent of people who work from home as having a designated room for working such as a study, home office or garden office.
With over 50 percent of people using areas of a living room, kitchen and bedroom to work in, it is crucial to create an ergonomic workstation to protect the body, maintain focus and ensure maximum comfort when working from home.
One of the most common side effects of working without a well-functioning ergonomic set up is poor posture, which can lead to a range of long-term issues such as poor circulation, a lack of movement and chronic back and neck pain.
Also, poor physical health can lead to a decline in mental wellbeing.
Lucy Fairbanks, DSE Assessor at Posturite, said: “Ergonomics when working from home isn’t just about ensuring that your equipment is supporting you in the correct way, but it is also important you take frequent screen breaks, plus move or stretch out your body regularly.
“Not only will this boost productivity, but you will find you have more energy throughout the day.”
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
