Ergonomics in the workplace – made easy

More and more people have a sedentary job. This is why the number of people with back problems and poor posture is also increasing. Sport and exercise help to avoid this, but why should you let it get that far? An optimal workplace design, the ergonomic set-up of the computer workstation and the correct sitting position in the office or home office prevent prevents health issues.

What does an ergonomic workplace look like?

At an ergonomic workplace, all office furniture as well as work objects are ideally matched to each other and to users. Desk and office chair are designed according to anatomical aspects, so that you can pursue your profession in a way that is gentle on your back and joints. The size is based on the body dimensions and is adapted to the purpose of use; it can also be quickly and easily adjusted so that you can adopt the best possible posture for every activity.

8 tips for healthy working on the screen

Ergonomic sitting at the PC, the ergonomically correct height of the desk, the right office chair and frequent changes of work position are the basic elements for ergonomics at the computer workstation

Correct posture in the workplace:

1. When sitting, pay attention to the right angle in the hip, knee and ankle
2. Adjust the height of the table and chair to match each other. The table height is correct if the elbow joint is at a right angle when the forearms are resting
3. Assume different positions while working. This effectively relieves your spine.
4. To relieve the strain when standing, you can put one foot on a step or place a lower leg on the office chair.
5. If you work on your laptop a lot, it is best to use an external monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Do relaxation exercises:

6. Stretch your arms towards the ceiling
7. Stretch your arms towards the screen and curl your head
8. Freshen up your eyes

Why is the electrically height-adjustable desk so popular for health care in the workplace?

Constant sitting stresses the back, shoulders and neck, constant standing also puts strain on the legs and the venous system. It is ideal to alternate between sitting and standing regularly, preferably every 2 hours. This can be realized optimally with a height-adjustable desk is. The following breakdown is ideal: 60% sit dynamically, 30% work standing and 10% deliberate walking.

The health benefit of height-adjustable desks

Setting up an ergonomic workstation in conjunction with an electrically height-adjustable desk is a simple means of preventing these negative effects. It can be adapted exactly to the body size and anatomy of the worker and thus also to various activities that are ideally carried out at different heights. Matching are also precisely customizable modular furniture. This puts as little strain on the body’s supporting apparatus as possible. Switching between sitting and standing positions also has great advantages.

1. Less fatigue at work
2. Greater concentration and performance
3. When standing, you are automatically more responsive and more alert
4. The change trains the back and leg muscles.
5. The spine is relieved.
6. The cycle gets going.

Pay attention to these 8 points when buying

So that working at a height-adjustable desk is really fun and the change of position can be carried out quickly and easily,
you should pay attention to the following 8 points when choosing your height-adjustable desk:

1. Uncomplicated change of working posture from sitting to standing and back again. The easiest way to do this is with an electric table. Manual cranking can be very time-consuming and annoying.
2. As silently as possible. The environment should not be distracted by the setting at the next table.
3. Steadfastness. No table should wobble. Adjustable feet to compensate for uneven floors are a must.
4. Stable construction. Even in the highest position, their height-adjustable table should not wobble.
5. Soft start / stop function. This function guarantees a gentle, jolt-free height adjustment. You don’t need to worry about objects falling off your desk.
6. Anti-collision protection. This prevents your desk from damaging objects underneath it or damaging it itself when it is lowered.
7. High resilience. Pay attention to how many kilograms the desk can hold.
8. Memory function. This function enables different height settings to be saved. You don’t have to readjust every time you switch to get the perfect height – helpful for one user, a blessing when several users share a desk.

Is it worth the investment?

The cost difference between office desks with a fixed and an adjustable table top has shrunk significantly in recent years. “It’s like airbags and ABS in cars. What used to be luxury is standard today. ”

According to the latest survey by the Swiss rheumatism league Back pain causes production losses of almost CHF 5,000 per patient annually. In addition, those affected spend money themselves to alleviate their back pain: two out of three people surveyed said they had spent an average of 524 francs on the treatment of back pain in 2019 – for treatments, medicines or aids that were not reimbursed by the health insurance company. For people with chronic back pain, self-paid healthcare costs averaged 836 francs in 2019, the Rheumatism League writes.

The investment pays for itself very quickly – whether for employees in the office or for the purchase for the home office. Many companies therefore tend to buy electrically height-adjustable desks when they make new purchases instead of waiting for their employees to complain.

Ergonomic workplace checklist

How to set up your computer workstation ergonomically in order to stay fit and healthy in the workplace. The table, chair, screen and keyboard can be positioned correctly in just a few minutes.

Checklist pdf