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How to effectively incorporate ergonomics into your fitout
28 June, 2024 by
Eamon Carroll

How to effectively incorporate ergonomics into your fitout

An ergonomic office will improve the health of employees

Making changes to a space can be challenging as there are so many factors to consider. The interior of any commercial office environment is much more than just a physical space for your employees and clients to work in. The design has to be carefully created so it complements the organisation’s values, the work being carried out and helps ensure employees can work in comfort. Ergonomics is the science of fitting the work environment to an individual’s requirements. Making this a focus of your project will lead to a far better outcome when the dust settles and your new space is created!

Why is Ergonomics important?

Today the average office worker is relatively sedentary and spends large portions of their day sitting. The commute to and from work, the 40+ hour work week at the desk, meetings, lunch, the list goes on. When we are sitting the load on our intervertebral discs is higher than both when we are standing or when we are lying down. With this in mind, It’s of little mystery that with an increase in sedentary lifestyles, a decline in physical activity and with more time spent sitting the rates of reported back pain are as high as ever! In Ireland’s 2014 - 2015 National Health Survey it was found that 1 in 5 people had suffered with lower back pain in the last 12 months. Other research indicates that 80% of people will report some lower back pain at some point during their working life!

The research currently indicates that managing back pain is multifactorial (O’Sullivan et al, 2018). It’s more than you’re your physiotherapy treatment. Effective pain management incorporates a tailored rehabilitation or exercise program, treatment, education on the injury and of course an ergonomic workstation setup with suitable equipment for the user’s needs.

Planning changes in your office requires time, thought and an expert opinion

When planning an office fitout ergonomics should be at the forefront of considerations to ensure once changes have been made, they are effective. At times thought may not be given to considerations like lighting, noise management, or whether the furniture sourced will be suitable for all (or as many as possible) staff members. Frustrations can often emerge among employees following an investment of both time and money into change when it appears those tasked with managing the change neglected some aspects. These frustrations can be easily accounted for by taking time to consider the wide variety of factors that affect office ergonomics. This article will aim to shed some light on the many factors that you, as the Facilities or Office Manager, should consider when you are tasked with making changes in your office.

Environmental factors to consider

As humans we are products of our environment. If an environment is conducive to high work output, we’ll tend to be happier. Research has indicated a well-lit office of approximately 21 degrees can significantly improve work performance and office worker health (Vimalanathan and Babu, 2014). If employees are working in comfort with a suitable chair and desk, good lighting, effective noise management and with a pleasant office temperature they will produce better work thus getting more job satisfaction and improving overall office morale. The opposite can be said if these environmental factors aren’t accounted for. If employees are on the phone and can’t quite hear what the other person is saying due to office noise, there will be frustrations. If the office is dimly lit or is too bright eye strain can occur or there can be glare on screens. Likewise, if the office is too warm or too cold employees may be agitated. All of these scenarios may lead to a reduced work output thus negatively affecting the organisation.

Chair considerations

Choosing the right mechanism

Chairs come with a variety of mechanisms. Some are more conducive to a healthy posture than others while some can be quite specific in how they will relieve the user’s discomfort.

Synchro-mechanism

A popular mechanism for office seating. The synchronous mechanism or synchro-mechanism incorporates a movement of the backrest and a corresponding smaller movement of the seat. This mechanism allows the user to have the chair moving with them with the seat and back moving together generally in a 1:2 ratio.

Asynchro-mechanism

Although sometimes confused with the synchro-mechanism the asynchronous or asynchro-mechanism means that the back rest reclines totally independently of the seat. The main issue with this is it encourages the backrest to slide up the user’s back when they recline.

Balanced Rocking Mechanism

This mechanism is adjusted to match the user’s weight which results in a balanced sitting position that incorporates regular movement and consistent support in a variety of working positions. This is a common option for Back Care Chairs. If movement is a major factor in managing pain this is an excellent option.

In-Balance Mechanism

A hallmark of some HAG chairs, again this mechanism is adjusted to match the user’s weight thus resulting in a balanced sitting position that incorporates regular movement and consistent support in a variety of working positions.

Figure 3 Task Chair - Mereo High Back with Neckrest

What type of backrest should I consider?

Material; Mesh or cushioned?

Do you need a neckrest?

Although neck rests tend to not be present on standard office chairs, for specialist cases they can provide a lot of value to the user. Neck rests allow the user to unload the neck from time to time varying the load on the cervical spine and improving overall comfort. Neckrests can also act as a que for the user to remain In an upright posture. If the neckrest isn’t touching the hair on the back of the user’s head, then the likelihood is they’re leaning too far forward, and neck discomfort may be quick to follow. It may be of benefit to consider whether a neckrest can be added to the chair if there are specialist cases. This will both help maintain uniformity while also allowing for those who require the extra support.

Ease of Adjustment

Movement is a major factor in managing back pain. A chair that has easy to use adjustments will encourage the user to adjust their chair and incorporate more movement into their working day thus avoiding discomfort.

Manufacturer origin and build quality

If you’re working in an office, odds are you’re sitting for upwards of 40 hours each week. A third of your waking hours. Over time a chair will take a certain amount of wear and tear. Therefore, build quality and manufacturer origin are important factors to consider when investing in a specialist chair. The Scandinavian countries have a long history of functional and aesthetic furniture that lasts whereas countries where cheaper materials are used may cause difficulties further down the line.

Desk considerations

Desk options;

  • Fixed Height Desks - Factors to consider;
  • Manufacturer origin and build quality
  • Cable management
  • Leg options
  • Tabletop options/ Material
  • Alternative options for cable management
  • Accessories (Monitor arms, desk top power output, CPU holder, desktop sit-stand adaptors etc)

Figure 6 Standard desking with acoustic partitioning

  • Sit-Stand Desks – Factors to consider;
  • Manufacturer origin and build quality
  • Method of adjustment (Crank, electric, memory setting etc)
  • Height range
  • Stability at highest point
  • Energy usage
  • Cable management
  • If electric - noise level
  • Alternative options for management
  • Accessories (Monitor arms, desk top power output etc)
  • Dynamic load capacity

Figure 7 Fortune 50 Client Fitout – HAG Futu Mesh Chairs and Sit-Stand Desks

  • Mixture of both – Factors to consider
  • All above factors
  • Location of sit-stands (some teams may benefit more from them more than others)
  • Whether to use sit-stands as individual hot desks or in a pod with other fixed height desks

Figure 8 Pharma Client in Dublin - Sit-Stand desks, acoustic partitioning and pedestals with company colours

Other furniture considerations

Break out spaces are becoming more and more popular in today’s offices. This often times gives a designer or architect the freedom to create an aesthetic space. While looks are no doubt important, functionality is also a major consideration. Consideration should be given to what tasks will be carried out in the area and the type of furniture or accessories selected should reflect these tasks.

Figure 9 Etsy Dublin Fitout - Break out space

Figure 10 Pharma Company Dublin - Break out space

Meeting rooms are also areas where organisations like to get creative. Sit-Stand meeting room tables are very effective methods of making meetings concise and to the point while also improving the quality of the meeting. Research has backed up the thinking that people tend to think better when on their feet or when moving around a little bit (citation). Another option that works well is having moveable stools for easy collaborative work among colleagues.

Figure 11 International Engineering Company Fitout – Meeting room

Figure 12 International Healthcare Company Fitout – Meeting room/Break out space

Fail to prepare…?

Without taking time to consider the above, oversights can emerge, and employee satisfaction can be affected. Chairs that don’t have easily adjustable features can be sourced and may not be suitable for all staff members thus resulting in increased levels of discomfort over time. Frustrations such as glare on screens due to the orientation of desks or poor noise management from a lack of acoustic panelling can also lead to further spend following the move.

Prepare to improve employee comfort and make the space healthier!

To avoid these scenarios emerging our team at KOS Workspace carry out Ergonomic Site Reviews of the space prior to any changes being made. They cover all of the above in great detail and more to help ensure once finished, your office is as healthy and functional as possible. We can tailor the review depending on what you are looking to achieve and can also delve into specific recommendations when it comes to chairs, desks, IT Equipment and loose furniture options.

Figure 14 International Architectural Practice Fitout

KOS Workspace are a team of consultants with backgrounds in Interior Architecture, Health and Performance Science, Physio and Ergonomics who have been helping companies manage comfort and improve the health of their workplace. We work with organisations to help navigate the tricky fit-out phase effectively to create a functional and aesthetic work environment.

The extra time taken to carry out the Site Review to consider all relevant options ensures your decisions are well informed resulting in a much better outcome when the project is finished. There will also be a peace of mind knowing that everything has been considered to ensure the changes made will fit the needs of your colleagues.

To arrange for an Ergonomic Site Review of please email sales@kos.ie or call 01 6110 200.

Vimalanathan, K. and Babu, T.R., 2014. The effect of indoor office environment on the work performance, health and well-being of office workers. Journal of environmental health science and engineering, 12(1), p.113.

https://www.thegoodbody.com/back-pain-statistics https://health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Healthy-Ireland-Survey-2015-Summary-of-Findings.pdf

O’Sullivan, P.B., Caneiro, J.P., O’Keeffe, M., Smith, A., Dankaerts, W., Fersum, K. and O’Sullivan, K., 2018. Cognitive functional therapy: an integrated behavioral approach for the targeted management of disabling low back pain. Physical therapy, 98(5), pp.408-423.

Loisel, P., Gosselin, L., Durand, P., Lemaire, J., Poitras, S. and Abenhaim, L., 2001. Implementation of a participatory ergonomics program in the rehabilitation of workers suffering from subacute back pain. Applied ergonomics, 32(1), pp.53-60


Eamon Carroll 28 June, 2024
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