When Working from Home, Your Conditions are Important

With recent and ongoing world events being what they are with COVID-19 in play, many companies have been forced to find the benefits of remote operations as much as they can. While proper technology is crucial to do this effectively, it is equally important that your team keep some other important considerations in mind… not so much what they’re working on, but how they’re doing so.

We’ll explain.

Defining Ergonomics

There are a lot of different ways to approach productivity, ergonomics simply being the idea that a person in a comfortable position is more prepared to be productive than one being distracted by discomfort.

In the office, this is somewhat easier to accomplish, believe it or not. Most offices are equipped with furniture and equipment intended for use in the workplace, which means that they are designed to better attend to these needs than what the average employee will have at their house. These pieces of furniture are designed to encourage a user to adopt a “neutral position” in order to minimize strain and stress, due to the amount of time that is anticipated to be spent in a given seat.

An acceptably “neutral” posture is challenging to maintain in other environments. The typical office desk is built much differently than the typical dining room table, or typical card table, or typical lap as the employee lounges on the couch… the big difference being the position that the employee will be in as they do so.

So, how does one go about maintaining the correct posture as they spend their work time at home?

Understanding the Basics

First, it is important to know exactly what a “neutral” posture looks like when positioned at the workstation. The hallmarks of a neutral posture include a straight neck, relaxed shoulders, wrists unbent, and limbs either held straight or bent at a 90-degree angle. When seated, it is recommended that you maintain a position where the thighs are parallel to the floor, with your seat providing plenty of back support. Your monitor should be at eye level, or slightly below it.

While this is all well and good in the office, it isn’t as though your employees are likely to have the same setup available.

Working with What They Have

Fortunately, with a little improvisation, it is entirely possible for your employees to make these adjustments in their own home.

Let’s say their monitors are too low. Raising them with books or small boxes would be perfectly acceptable for the short term. If they are working with a laptop, send them some peripherals, like a spare keyboard and mouse, for them to use with it. Use small pillows and cushions to adjust the height and support of the kitchen chair you are seated at, and if this makes your feet dangle in the air once again, use a step stool or other object to allow them a firm foundation.

Make sure that you remind your employees to take care of their work resources, including their own bodies. After all, they aren’t going to be productive if their back is too sore for them to focus. We can help make sure their technology is up to the task, whether or not they’re working remotely.

To learn more about the solutions available from BNMC to support your newly at-home operations, give us a call at (978) 482-2020.