| Since an office workstation will be the base for most | | | | far as ergonomics are concerned. To be able to raise |
| employees to spend the majority of their day, it is of | | | | or lower the chair in order to make sure that the |
| crucial importance to make sure that you have | | | | employee's eyes are level with the monitor is essential, |
| considered a whole range of factors in order to | | | | as any tilting of the head can easily result in strain or |
| ensure their comfort and safety. There are often | | | | compression injuries over time, These can be very |
| some areas to which a great deal of attention is given, | | | | painful, resulting in twinges or headaches which will |
| but sadly there are often others which are entirely | | | | undoubtedly result in reduced workflow at the very |
| ignored or overlooked, and if this is the case then over | | | | least. |
| the longer term it is highly probable that injuries, strains | | | | However, in designing the office workstation itself, |
| or simply a decline in productivity will occur. | | | | have you also considered where you will locate it? |
| Yet there are relatively simple things which can be | | | | There are a number of factors so often ignored or |
| done to improve office workstation design, and the | | | | overlooked. Primarily this tends to be because those |
| good news is that not all of the solutions cost money. | | | | people designing or planning the office space do so |
| In some cases it will be important to spend a little extra | | | | standing up, walking around and looking at the office |
| on order to reap a better level of productivity from | | | | workstations from angles which are quite different |
| your employees, but in some cases it is simply a case | | | | from those which the employee is likely to use. |
| of considering all possible factors, and looking around | | | | One such example is placing a workstation in such a |
| at the influencing features of the office environment | | | | way that the employee has their back to the window. |
| and deciding how best the office can be designed and | | | | How could this be an issue? For two main reasons - |
| compiled into a single cohesive solution. | | | | firstly the bright sun coming in is almost certainly likely |
| After all, if your office is a major hub within your | | | | to reflect off the screen. If the workstation has been |
| business then it will be important to make sure that | | | | built to a standard arrangement then the monitor will be |
| those working within such an office environment are | | | | on top of the desk, facing the window and reflecting |
| able to do so efficiently and safely, and that there | | | | the outside of the office. By forcing the employee to |
| should be no causes for a decrease in potential | | | | squint against the light, and subconsciously flick focus |
| workload or activity. | | | | between the distant reflections and the text on the |
| The morale and general well-being of employees is | | | | screen much closer you will be certain to encourage |
| often deemed to be something which is largely out of | | | | eyestrain and headaches which will reduce |
| the hands of the business, and often blamed on either | | | | productivity. |
| mood swings, home or finance problems or clashes | | | | There is also the fact that the sun may well cause a |
| with others in the workplace. Even employees can | | | | surge in heat, making the employee feel physically |
| sometimes be hard pressed to put a finger on why | | | | uncomfortable too. So how about switching the |
| they may not be having a great day or working as | | | | workstation to face the window? This then has the |
| hard they could. Yet all too often it is the design of the | | | | problem of causing the employee to look at a screen |
| office, and the office workstation in particular, which is | | | | which is almost silhouetted by the bright light behind. |
| to blame in part. | | | | This will also cause eyestrain and headaches. |
| Most office workstations these days have a computer | | | | The best idea is to angle workstations so that there is |
| of some kind, and clearly it will be of significant | | | | no direct light either behind or in front of the desk, |
| importance to make sure that any prolonged use of | | | | providing the employees with a screen that is easy to |
| the computer has been thought through carefully, with | | | | read, positioned at the correct height and has no bright |
| the workstation itself, the chair, and the technology all | | | | light sources nearby to cause any eye strain or |
| working fluidly together as a solution which maximizes | | | | distraction. The office workstation should be designed |
| comfort and productivity for the employee. | | | | and positioned from the employee's point of view, not |
| It will certainly be highly advisable to make sure that | | | | just the designer's or the manager's. Make your office |
| the chair provided for your employees has a number | | | | workstation a hub, and not a hole, and allow your |
| of basic adjustments, such as height, tilt, lumbar support | | | | employees to work effectively and efficiently without |
| and of course a back rest. Arm rests aren't always | | | | damaging themselves or your business. |
| necessary, and usually serve relatively little benefit as | | | | |