In the old days, a key sign of having “arrived” was snagging your own corner office. Or even just a private cubicle. While this kind of privacy and autonomy is still something many people strive for, the more important measure today is having a much more flexible workspace.
In some cases, workspaces need to instantly adapt to suit new workers who rotate throughout the day. However, in others they simply need to change to fit your shifting postures or changing tasks. It’s something all the more urgent in recent years. It is especially true as white collar workers increasingly spend their time hunched over keyboards, mice, laptops and tablets. These devices require precise movements and put a lot of strain on the wrists, joints, back and neck.
How to Avoid Workspace Injury
To avoid such injuries — and the costs that come along with them — creating a flexible and adaptable workspace is key. This is most acute in considering your desk and chair, as many problems can be avoided by raising or lowering the height of both so that users can easily float their hands above the keyboard without hunching or overextending their forearms. Adjustable desks that can be raised or lowered into sit and stand positions are a particularly apt solution.
In addition to this, it’s also important to outfit your workspace with an ergonomic keyboard that you can split apart in the middle to find your ideal typing angle. Also, look for an ergonomic mouse that will conform to the shape of your hand, providing maximum support. And of course, lighting should also be highly adjustable. This is not just in terms of employee preferences but also to automatically adapt to outside lighting conditions throughout the day. It will go a long way towards helping to prevent eye strain.
For more on this fascinating issue, we highly recommend reading, Ergonomics: A Key to Workstation Design.
What strategies have you taken to keep your workspace flexible? Let us know in the comments below.
