All businesses have one thing in common regardless of size, model, or industry: Productivity is the key to success. If you and your team are losing productivity through a lack of engagement, focus, and creativity, you are leaving money on the table.
What Causes Low Productivity?
Low productivity in the workplace can be caused by a wide range of factors from company culture and leadership to office design. Despite this, the most common preventable causes of low productivity in the office are workplace injuries caused by poor ergonomics. These musculoskeletal injuries like RSIs (Repetitive Strain Injuries) and MSDs (Musculoskeletal Disorders) are caused by repetitive awkward movements, working in uncomfortable positions, and habits that put unwanted pressures on the body.
Oftentimes, RSIs and MSDs can go unnoticed for a long time. Many workers suffering from these injuries simply don’t associate them with their work environment until it’s too late. Left unchecked, these initially small aches and pains can evolve into severe, chronic, and permanent injuries. For example, a small discomfort in the wrist from using a computer mouse can eventually develop into carpal tunnel syndrome that may need surgery to fix. Statistics Canada estimates that 2.3 million Canadians suffer from these types of work injuries.
Not only do workplace injuries lower the productivity, output, and morale of your team, but they can also create significant expenses for your business. As more team members start developing injuries, absenteeism will increase as people have to take time off of work to recover. This in turn not only lowers your company’s output but can also lead to large expenses from workplace injury claims.
In other words, ergonomics in the office aren’t just a “nice thing to have,” they are crucial to the wellbeing of your business!
What is Ergonomics?
Ergonomics was created in 1857 by a Polish scholar named Woljciech Jastrzębowski. The term ergonomics comes from the Greek words “ergon” (work or physical labour) and “nomos” (natural laws). Essentially, ergonomics is the science of how people’s bodies function as they work.
As the technological revolution happened and an increasing amount of people began working in office workspaces, the need for ergonomics became apparent. Although people were working in less physically intensive industries, many workers continued to develop injuries on the job. Eventually, the practice of optimizing the office workspace for employee safety and comfort became a crucial part of workplace design.
Why Does My Business Need Ergonomics?
As an applied science, ergonomics is about eliminating workplace strains and injuries by finding the best anatomical positions for people to work in. By eliminating harmful forces from the bodies of workers, people can work faster, produce more, and live a healthier lifestyle. These physical improvements also create psychological benefits like increased engagement, higher morale, and increased job satisfaction.
There are a number of ways to improve the ergonomics of your office workspace. From encouraging your workers to move around and be active while working, to implementing equipment such as standing desks and ergonomic keyboards, these are all ways to increase ergonomics. Despite these options, the best way to ensure that your office is fully optimized for ergonomics is to consult with a certified ErgoPrime ergonomist.
How Good is Ergonomic Office Equipment?
With a surge of people working from home due to the pandemic, a high demand developed for ergonomic office equipment.
Despite the availability of such equipment, many individuals simply don’t know how to use it. When people began working from home, many of them upgraded their home offices with enhanced equipment such as ergonomic office chairs. Unfortunately, few of the individuals that bought this equipment knew how to set it up and utilize it to its full potential. Many people have ergonomic equipment but are still using it in ways that create problems instead of solving them!
Although there are numerous web guides for setting up your office workspace, a meeting with a professional ergonomist takes the guesswork out of your office ergonomics. Every individual’s body is different, and so is the work that they do. Getting help from an ergonomist ensures that your office workspace is optimized for you, not for an estimation of the average person.
How Can I Book a Consultation?
At ErgoPrime, we offer two types of ergonomic services: The Virtual Ergonomic Assessment and Office Ergonomic Tune-Up. These assessments are the perfect solutions for office workers, entrepreneurs, or remote workers with a permanent or temporary home office space.
We’ll work with you to optimize your workstation setup and provide a set of solutions to enhance comfort, increase creativity, and help you focus on work. Ready to optimize your ergonomics and boost your business? Schedule a consultation with one of our expert ergonomists today!