You often spend more time in the office than at home. And if you wouldn’t tolerate a creaky chair or a wobbly table in your living room, why should you put up with unsuitable furniture at work? It’s not just about comfort. We only have one body – and ergonomic principles help protect our health.
The environment affects both our health and our performance. It doesn’t matter whether you’re hunched over a stove preparing a family celebration or twisting yourself in front of a computer while filling out spreadsheets. Cutting costs on furniture doesn’t pay off, because work efficiency, motivation, and performance simply don’t go hand in hand with back pain, stiff legs, or a sore neck and wrists. Any employer who hesitates to invest in an ergonomic workplace for their people should realize that, in the long run, it means less money earned.
And it’s not just about temporary discomfort. Discomfort accumulates – slowly and relentlessly. Work takes up about 30 years of our lives, and years of sitting on an unsuitable chair at an unsuitable desk can lead to permanent damage. Ruined backs, carpal tunnel syndrome, or RSI (repetitive strain injury) -damage to tendons, muscles, joints, or nerves caused by long-term repetitive movement.
Individuality takes center stage
Ergonomics focuses on adapting the workplace to the physical and mental needs of each individual. In the past, you started a new job, were shown your desk, and no one cared any further. Today, the trend is different. Ergonomic furniture – chairs and desks, as well as mice and mouse pads, monitor stands and arms, laptop and tablet holders – can all be adjusted to suit a specific person. After all, when you get into a car, you don’t start driving immediately; first you adjust the seat and mirrors.
Chairs – if you sit, sit dynamically
Sitting is unnatural for humans, which is why standing work (at a computer or in the office in general) is becoming increasingly popular. But when you do sit, you should slide your hips as far back as possible, keep your back straight, and place your feet slightly apart. A high-quality ergonomic chair that follows the natural curve of the spine and allows dynamic sitting – activating muscles that remain inactive in a standard chair – should support you in this.
The difference between cheaper and more expensive ergonomic chairs? All allow you to adjust the backrest tilt, seat height, and armrests. But only the more expensive ones allow adjustment of seat depth and tilt, backrest height, and armrest height. Then there’s the difference in materials: cheaper and more expensive products may look the same at first glance, but over time you’ll notice the difference. Padding in more affordable chairs loses its shape and functionality.
Adjustable desk – manual or electric?
It’s obvious that taller people need higher desks than shorter ones. That’s why ergonomic desks allow height adjustment as needed—and they should also offer settings for standing work.
As for adjustment mechanisms, you can choose desks with a hand crank or opt for electric ones, where the push of a button saves effort. The advantage of electric adjustable desks is their memory function, which can store several preferred height settings.
Monitor – correct height is key
Proper monitor positioning means having the top edge of the screen at eye level—neither higher nor lower. Otherwise, your strained cervical spine will “reward” you with neck or back pain and significant fatigue.
The solution is a monitor stand or a monitor arm, which allows not only height adjustment but also horizontal positioning. Just make sure your monitor has a VESA mount—mounting holes on the back.
Vertical mouse and curved keyboard – a perfect pair
Ergonomic keyboards, thanks to their contoured design, provide sufficient support for wrists and forearms; some also feature specially shaped keys.
You can recognize a mouse designed for healthy use immediately – it looks very different from its conventional “colleagues.” It’s vertical, so it fits naturally in the hand and reduces strain. If your wrist is additionally supported, the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome is greatly reduced.
Everyone benefits
Just as it pays off for employers to invest in employee education, it also pays to think about the environment in which people work. In the end, everyone involved benefits.
Recognizing the link between well-chosen furniture and a company’s prosperity isn’t always obvious—even though it’s perfectly logical. And you can learn about these less visible, yet crucial, business connections during MBA studies.
