With the average retirement age at 63 for women and 65 for men, employed adults spend a lot of time in the workplace.
Whether it is in an office or on a building site, it is important that your workspace works for you and your employees. Managers and owners have a responsibility for keeping an office safe and comfortable.
Here are some tips on creating a workspace that boosts both your efficiency and wellbeing.
Ergonomic fundamentals
The term ‘ergonomic’ refers to furniture designed to make the workplace more comfortable and efficient. The most obvious examples are a desk and chair set up.
Desks should be at an appropriate height, with ample room for equipment and usage combined. You could consider having movable desks so standing is an option, too, especially if a lot of time is spent sitting at work. Chairs should be adjustable and have proper back support.
By investing in proper desk equipment, workers will have reduced musculoskeletal issues, which can come from bad posture when sitting. Sore shoulders, necks, and backs will be reduced, allowing staff to focus on working without discomfort.
Lighting and environmental factors
Some workplaces struggle with lighting options. In an ideal world, workers should get as much natural light as possible. Not only does natural light save energy and bills, but it also gives a mental boost as well as giving a Vitamin D injection.
If natural light is hard to find in your workplace, think about how you can carefully introduce artificial options. Think about glare on computer screens and the type of bulb you use. Warmer LEDs are better for the eyes than stark, white lightbulbs.
Temperature should also be a consideration. Keeping the Fahrenheit either too hot or too cold can lead to distracted employees who will become less productive. Consider keeping the thermostat away from people, preventing thermostat wars where people keep changing it to their preference!
Technology and productivity tools
Most work now uses some sort of technology or digital interface. These are mostly designed to be as streamlined as possible, but there are ways to help yourself as well.
Digital security should be on everyone’s mind, and it can be a concern. Using a small business VPN ensures a secure connection, taking some of the worry away and allowing staff to focus on other tasks.
You could also consider internet blockers. Blocking certain websites, such as social media, streaming services, and other distractions, ensures your workforce stays on task and doesn’t get distracted.
Productivity can sometimes be hard to measure, so implementing a tracking tool can be useful. Being able to see how much time has been spent on specific projects or tasks allows you to bill accordingly or make workforce changes to ensure tasks are completed quickly.
