You want to set up your office ergonomically but don't really know what to look out for? To ensure that your workplace is optimally adapted to your needs, not only the technical equipment but also the entire furnishings and environment must meet certain ergonomic requirements.
In this article, you will learn what equipment you need for more ergonomics in the workplace and what you should pay attention to for healthy office work.
What is meant by ergonomics in the workplace?
To answer the most important question right away: ergonomics in the workplace means that the technical equipment, the office furniture and the entire working environment are optimally tailored to you.
This means that your workplace is designed in such a way that you do not experience any physical discomfort (such as back pain or a hunched back) when you are mainly sitting at your desk. This is why correct ergonomics in the office workplace are so important: for your health.
An ergonomic work environment is extremely important, especially when working at a computer screen, where you remain in the same position for hours. That's why you should make sure that your workstation is set up ergonomically, even when working from home.
In short : ergonomic working is primarily about occupational health and safety, economic efficiency and humanity. A good thing, right?
Laws and guidelines on ergonomics in the workplace
The ergonomic design of the workplace is regulated in Germany by various laws and guidelines in order to protect the health of employees.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act ( ArbSchG ), the Workplace Ordinance ( ArbStättV ) and the Screen Work Ordinance set out clear requirements for the ergonomic design of office chairs, desks and work environments.
These guidelines aim to minimize physical strain and prevent long-term damage such as back pain or muscle tension. Employers are obliged to provide ergonomic workplaces and to check them regularly in order to meet legal requirements and the health of employees.
Checklist: What does ergonomics in the workplace include?
You should follow these tips to sit ergonomically correctly:
Without ergonomic office furnishings, optimal working conditions are not possible. The following checklist should help you to set up your office or home office ergonomically and thus improve ergonomics in the workplace:
- An ergonomic office chair
- A height-adjustable desk
- An ergonomic mouse
- An ergonomic keyboard
- The ideal viewing distance from the screen
- An optimal movement and gripping space
- The right lighting
- The perfect indoor climate
Proper ergonomics in the workplace will ensure that you feel comfortable at work in the long term, your productivity will increase and – most importantly – you will stay healthy.
The Aeris 3Dee: The right office chair is a key element for perfect ergonomics in the workplace.
1. The ergonomic office chair
Of course, the right office chair is the central element of ergonomic measures.
"Sitting is the new smoking":
That's why investing in an ergonomic office chair is worth it for your health in the long term. You should adjust the desk chair exactly to your needs:
First, adjust the seat height of your office chair so that an "open" angle (90°) is created between your upper and lower legs when sitting. This ensures good blood circulation.
Important: Do not sit at a right angle!
If you use an ergonomic office chair with a backrest, make sure that it has a so-called lumbar support . The lumbar support can be adjusted to the (S-shaped) curvature of your spine.
It is also important that your desk chair can be adjusted to your weight. This way it offers you maximum seating comfort.
What should you look for in an ergonomic office chair?
Tip: You can find out in detail here what you need to pay attention to when choosing an ergonomic office chair. In the article " How to find the optimal seat height for your chair " you can find out more about how to determine the right height for your office chair.
2. The height-adjustable desk
A height-adjustable desk is also important for an ergonomic office. It is important that you move around at work and regularly switch between sitting and standing.
This change is good for your back and your posture, and getting up regularly means you don't get tired so quickly. The movement stimulates your circulation and increases the oxygen saturation in your blood.
An ergonomic desk gets you moving - in the truest sense of the word.
How long should you sit at work?
Tip: As a rule of thumb, you should spend one third of your working time standing and two thirds sitting. This has been proven to increase physical and mental performance.
The Aeris Active Office Desk has a split worktop. This allows you to quickly and easily switch between sitting and standing and easily incorporate natural movement into your everyday work routine.
The Aeris Active Office Desk
Our Aeris Active Office Desk is the ideal solution for your sit-stand workstation.
If you don't have enough space, make sure that your desk is height-adjustable and that you can easily and conveniently convert it into a standing desk.
Do you already have a desk at home, but it is not height adjustable? Then you can still do something to improve ergonomics at work!
With desk attachments, your normal desk can quickly be converted into a sit-stand desk.
Admittedly, this is not the optimal solution, but it's better than nothing, right?
3. The ergonomic mouse
The first “human-machine interface” on the desk is the mouse.
First of all, the ergonomic mouse is not a clumsy invention of the industry to boost the sale of computer mice.
Rather, it plays a crucial role in ergonomics in the workplace.
The unnatural, rigid hand position when using conventional PC mice for hours often leads to pain in the wrist and even tension in the entire arm.
In particularly severe cases, this leads to complete immobility of the hand, the so-called "mouse arm" (also called RSI symptoms) or to long-lasting chronic symptoms.
About 15 percent of all office workers suffer from these problems. Of all computer users worldwide, 25 percent complain of regular wrist pain.
For correct ergonomics at your PC workstation you need an ergonomic mouse.
Ergonomic mouse prevents mouse arm
An ergonomic mouse prevents exactly this problem.
In contrast to normal mice, it is symmetrically shaped and assumes a vertical hand position.
This means that the natural hand position (thumb up) is supported. This reduces tension in the hand muscles.
In principle, the shape of an ergonomic mouse resembles a glove. It is therefore optimally adapted to the human hand and the hand rests relaxed on the mouse. A good PC mouse makes a decisive contribution to employee productivity.
If you are an employer, definitely consider this purchase. It's worth it!
How do you recognize a good ergonomic mouse?
Tip: Of course, there are ergonomic mice in a wide range of sizes, for left- and right-handed people and with different functions and buttons.
Therefore, be sure to seek advice from an expert and compare different models with each other.
4. The ergonomic keyboard
The long-term use of conventional keyboards also has negative physical consequences. Sore hands and tense shoulders - caused by the rigid hand position - are not uncommon.
Anyone who sits in front of a computer all day and has to type a lot can tell you all about it.
The problem : If the symptoms become chronic, working without pain is no longer possible. In addition, the error rate increases because concentration decreases.
Even if you have an ergonomic office chair for your computer workstation but do not use ergonomic equipment, you are at risk of soon suffering from back pain. At first, the tension only starts in the wrist area. However, since the human body is very complex, the tension can very quickly spread to the entire shoulder and neck area.
With an ergonomic keyboard, like this one from Logitech, it is important that your palms rest on a cushion.
What are the advantages of an ergonomic keyboard?
An ergonomic keyboard enables a natural hand position and fatigue- and pain-free working.
It is important that the keyboard is curved in an A-shape (the keypad is divided into a block for the left hand and a block for the right hand) and that the palms of the hands rest on a cushion. This means that the hands are further apart and do not have to be bent. This takes a lot of strain off the wrists and is therefore essential for perfect ergonomics in the workplace.
When writing, your hands are not bent outwards, but form a line with your forearm. This natural writing position helps you to work in a concentrated and error-free manner without your muscles cramping.
Even if an ergonomic keyboard costs a little more, this investment will ultimately pay off not only for you but also for your employer. The number of days lost due to back pain can be significantly reduced.
What must an ergonomic keyboard have?
Tip: No matter which keyboard you choose, it is important that it has a cushion for your palms.
5. Position the screen ergonomically
The next question you need to ask yourself for perfect ergonomics at your office workplace:
What is the correct ergonomic position for the screen? Setting up the screen ergonomically correctly takes some time, because the best position for a screen is not the same for everyone.
But a screen that is optimally adapted to the user is also ergonomically “worth its weight in gold”.
Eye strain as well as headaches and back pain, which can be caused by incorrect viewing distance or an unfavorable monitor height, are avoided.
To find the right screen position, you should try out different variations. Each position should be tried out for a whole day.
The general recommendation is that the distance from the screen should be between 45 and 80 cm. The viewing angle should also be between 10 and 20 degrees. As a rule of thumb, the edge of the screen should be slightly below eye level.
Good monitors can also be adjusted in all directions.
This means that they can be adjusted in height and tilted and swiveled around the vertical and horizontal axes.
There are four different basic positions you can set up the screen in:
- High and close: The screen is placed high up (at eye level) and the viewing distance is kept close.
- High and wide: The monitor is at eye level. The viewing distance is at least 70 cm.
- Low and close: The screen is positioned lower. The viewing distance is about 50 cm.
- Deep and wide: The monitor is positioned lower and is at a distance of about 70 cm. The viewing angle is about 15 degrees.
To set up your workstation ergonomically correctly, you should definitely use an ergonomic keyboard and an ergonomic mouse. The screen must also be positioned correctly for you.
How big should a screen be?
Tip: Use a monitor that is at least 24 inches in size. This will ensure a sufficiently large field of view.
6. The optimal grip and movement space
For perfect ergonomics in the workplace, the reach and movement space must not be overlooked. This is the area of the workplace that can be reached without having to leave the sitting or standing workstation or bending or stooping unnaturally.
All work equipment that can literally be “grasped” with your hands horizontally or vertically is therefore within your grasp and movement space.
When designing, a distinction is first made between the inner and outer gripping area.
The inner reach area includes everything that you can reach with your arms bent. The inner reach area should contain all the objects that you use frequently.
These include, for example, your computer mouse, keyboard or telephone.
The outer reach area is the area that can be reached with the arm outstretched – but in a relaxed position! Ideally, only the objects that are not constantly needed for work are located here.
For example: notepads, pens, hole punches and the mobile phone.
In fact, by cleverly selecting your office furniture, you can positively influence the scope or size of your reach space in order to make your workflow as healthy as possible.
This includes a workstation such as the Aeris Active Office Desk , which not only has an adjustable working height but also has two work surfaces, thus always offering a sitting and standing work surface.
This significantly increases your grip and movement space.
But an ergonomic office chair that actively supports your individual movements also increases your reach. Thanks to the lateral flexibility, the desk chair, for example, always ensures an optimal posture in relation to the work surface.
A combination of a height-adjustable desk and an ergonomic office chair such as the Aeris Swopper significantly expands your reach and movement space.
7. The right lighting
Of course, natural daylight is always best for your computer workstation. However, make sure that you never place the desk directly in front of a window.
Whether from the front into the eyes or over the shoulder at the screen:
Avoid direct sunlight!
This damages your eyes and can lead to headaches in the long term.
Even with artificial light, make sure that you don't have direct lighting if possible. Wall spotlights or table lamps, for example, are particularly suitable; you can turn them so that they indirectly illuminate your ergonomic workstation.
How should the table lamp be positioned on the desk?
Tip: Turn your desk lamp so that no shadows fall on the keyboard or notepad while you write.
8. The right room climate
Like the right lighting, a good room climate is an important requirement in everyday working life. The best tips and ergonomic guidelines are of no use if the atmosphere in the office is stuffy.
The temperature in an office workplace should be at least 18°C and at most 24°C. The optimal temperature is exactly the middle value, i.e. 21°C.
Plants help you to permanently improve the indoor climate at your workplace.
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However, temperature alone is not enough to achieve a good indoor climate. Humidity also plays an important role. At a computer workstation, humidity between 30 and 70 percent is acceptable. The ideal value here is exactly in the middle, i.e. 50 percent.
What are the benefits of plants in the office?
Tip: Plants help you to permanently improve the indoor climate at your workplace. The best thing to do is to get advice from a specialist retailer. The experts know exactly which type of plant is ideal for the office.
Positive effects of ergonomics in the workplace: fewer days of absence
Doctors around the world have long agreed that more ergonomics in the workplace contributes significantly to improving health. Recent studies also show that employees who work in ergonomically designed workplaces have significantly fewer days off work.
Proper ergonomics in the workplace reduces the number of sick days taken by employees.
The study by the international research team from the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam found that employees with chronic back pain have only half as many days off work if their office chair is optimally adjusted to them and the workplace is ergonomic.
134 test subjects between the ages of 18 and 65 were examined. Their back pain was so severe that they were unable to go to work for an average of six months a year.
The subjects were divided into two groups.
The first group was treated with conventional painkillers and physiotherapy. The second group received 12 months of integrated therapy, which focused on the sitting posture at the workplace.
With the help of an “ergonomics officer”, the workplace and especially the office chairs were designed ergonomically.
The impressive balance:
The group that received conventional treatment was able to return to work on average four months later than the group whose workplace had been ergonomically designed. The ergonomically modified group was able to return to full work after 88 days, while the other group only returned after 208 days.
This result clearly shows how important ergonomics in the workplace is for the health of employees.
Now that you know what to look out for in order to have an ergonomically perfect workplace and what equipment you need, nothing stands in the way of healthy office work!
