Making your office a happier environment
A common mistake made by many new office-based small business start-ups is not taking the comfort of staff members into consideration.
This might seem minor in the short-term but the longer term consequences could have an effect on overall operations of your company.
The average office worker will spend a large amount of time sitting down, and a bad working posture can lead to back problems, which is usually the fault of inadequate office furniture.
Ergonomics, in a practical sense, is simply a way of designing a working environment that people can feel safe and comfortable operating in.
Ensuring that the workplace is a comfortable place for your workers is good ergonomical practice.
Creating an ergonomic office can reduce to the likelihood of your workers developing physical problems, which could ultimately affect productivity and attendance. This could also see the appearance of compensation claims (ensuring your employer's liability insurance is up-to-date can help to combat some of these costs).
Lighting & Seating
Office Lighting
It is important to ensure that lighting is indirect, and flexible to suit the needs of individuals. Put blinds and shades in place to allow you to fully control outside light.
Ensuring that your office has natural lighting and an airy feel will also brighten up those dark winter days when your staff members could be affected by the winter blues.
Office Seating
A comfortable, adjustable chair is essential for any office worker as a considerable amount of time can be spent in the office. It is advisable to spend more on good office chairs as the design and feel will affect the way in which your employees work and for how long.
Ideally office chairs should be able to adjust in the lower back area, as well as able to recline slightly to alleviate pressure from the spine.
Workstations & Storage
Office Workstations
According to Health and Safety standards the monitor should be roughly 25 centimetres away from the worker's eyes. Monitors that can be angled to suit the user, as well as anti-glare filters can also help to reduce eye-strain and are relatively affordable.
Possibly consider wrist rests for the keyboard and mouse to prevent repetitive strain injury (RSI). This is a very painful condition that can result in a reduction in productivity and possible inability to work.
Office Storage
Having a large number of files, books or general clutter in the office could pose a health and safety risk to your employees as well as give your office an unprofessional look and feel.
Adequate storage such as filing cabinets, cupboards and desk drawers can all ensure that your office is a pleasant place to be and gives an impression of efficiency and professionalism. Having a clean, uncluttered office will give clients and other visitors a favourable impression of your business.
It's certainly worth taking all these points into consideration as they will not only make your office a nicer, more comfortable place to work, they can also prevent employers liability and public liability insurance cases being brought against you.
