More and more people are working in the office: around a quarter of all employees now spend their working day on a desk chair in front of the computer. A turnaround is by no means in sight; instead, the number of employees working in offices is expected to continue to rise. One more reason to pay attention to health-promoting and ergonomic office equipment when setting up your office.
After all, employees spend a large part of their day in the premises, which can and should therefore have great potential for maintaining health. Attractive office furnishings also convey a positive corporate image, increase the well-being of employees and ensure a balanced working atmosphere.
Table of Contents
- Ergonomics and why it is so important when setting up an office
- Setting up your office – this is what you need to consider
- What is important when setting up your office?
- The right desk chair – also important when setting up a home office
- Set up a small office – the right office desk
- Conclusion – The most important office setting up tips
Ergonomics and why it is so important when setting up an office
Ergonomics has been an issue in office furnishings for a long time, but although it still had a certain eco-image a few years ago, it has now found its way into pretty much all companies. The term actually only means that the work can be carried out, for example with the help of suitable aids office furniture, ideally adapted to the characteristics of the employee.
This includes choosing inventory when setting up the office that suits the size of the employee and does not force them to adopt unhealthy or painful postures. The aim of ergonomic office furniture is to maintain employees' long-term health and strengthen their performance through optimal working conditions.
The correct, ergonomic sitting position in front of the computer screen prevents common illnesses such as back pain or tendonitis. The back should be upright and still supported by the backrest in this position. Ideally, both the upper and lower leg as well as the upper and forearm form a right angle.
This means that the joints are not put under excessive strain in the sitting position. To do this, the desk chair set up for the office should have both height adjustment and adjustable armrests. Computer screens are best able to be easily rotated in all directions and can also be adjusted in tilt.
Setting up your office – this is what you need to keep in mind
A chair, a Desk, a computer, maybe a small filing cabinet - and are you done setting up your office or home office? Not at all, because a properly equipped workplace where you can work well and productively requires a lot more than the basic equipment. For example, plants that are integrated into office furnishings promote creativity and ensure that employees work more relaxed and productively. While they increase overall satisfaction with the workplace, they also improve the indoor climate. In general, sufficiently high humidity and a pleasant temperature are important points that should not be neglected when setting up an office. They ensure that employees enjoy spending their time in the office and do not flee again as quickly as possible.
The right one Lighting is also an important factor for a workplace where employees feel completely comfortable. Lamps with high luminous intensity and a color temperature similar to daylight ensure a bright mood and a clear mind. The light in the office should not be too cold or bright, otherwise a repellent or sterile atmosphere will quickly arise. Cool ceiling lighting often harmonizes well with smaller floor or table lamps in warmer colors. There is no need for a Feng Shui office, but the furnishings in the office should still create a harmonious picture.
What is important when setting up your office?
Even with the perfect ergonomic sitting posture and the best high-tech office equipment, the human body is not designed to remain in the same position for many hours. Regular exercise breaks are therefore also very important for the health of all employees. Create incentives, for example by placing the kitchenette at the end of the hallway or setting up the copier and printer in a separate room. Every time you get up and walk, you get your circulation going again, loosen your joints and promote blood circulation. A short walk across the aisle often stimulates creativity and leads to good new ideas.
Also useful in the Office organization can be smaller seating areas where project teams and employees working together on a task can meet and exchange ideas. There are often fewer misunderstandings in personal contact than when communicating by email or telephone. Help your employees network with each other and promote team cohesion!
The right desk chair – also important when setting up a home office
A Office chair is a sensible and long-term investment if it can be individually adjusted to suit employees of different heights. This means that the seating can continue to be used even if there is a change in employees. Even open offices without a fixed seating arrangement or the workstations of part-time workers that are used by several employees benefit from adjustable chairs and other flexible office furnishing ideas.
An individually adjustable seat height is now standard on almost all chair models for the office. But ideally the headrest and armrests can also be adjusted to your body dimensions. A lumbar support prevents employees from hunching their backs or arching their backs when sitting and therefore supports a healthy back.
Despite all the functionality and practical features, it should not be forgotten that office chairs should also be comfortable and comfortable. You can only work concentratedly and effectively if you feel comfortable in your chair. If they are used daily, office chairs should generally be replaced every eight to ten years. Signs of serious material fatigue and a decline in ergonomics are often minor defects or a weakening of the suspension in the seat cushion.
Set up a small office – the right office desk
Office desks not only have to match the height of the desk chair and their user, but ideally they also have to be robust and durable. In everyday office life, they are exposed to a variety of stresses. Surfaces made of synthetic resins or with special coatings have therefore proven themselves. The size of the table depends primarily on the requirements of its user: should there only be space for a computer monitor with a mouse and keyboard on the surface or should there be additional space for documents. Employees often need more than just a single monitor in order to complete digital tasks faster and more efficiently.
Height-adjustable tables are not only important when setting up an office for employees of different heights, they can often be used both sitting and standing. Alternating between sitting and standing is likely to provide major health benefits. Due to the different loads, overload, tension and pain occur less frequently. In addition, when standing, various messenger substances are stimulated in the body, which increase both performance and well-being.
Conclusion – The most important office setting up tips
Regardless of whether you want to set up a home office, a large or a small office: the most important basics are always the same:
An adjustable desk chair ensures the correct sitting posture and prevents tension or one-sided strain. A height-adjustable office desk offers the option of varying between sitting and standing.
Sufficient but not too bright office lighting makes you alert and alert. Plants in the office improve the indoor climate and ensure greater well-being. Colors stimulate creativity, but should be used sparingly
A carefully furnished workplace that is tailored to individual needs makes work easier and also prevents ailments, illnesses and pain caused by incorrect strain and sitting for long periods of time.