From the office to the home – Why the need for ergonomics is greater now than ever

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As the spread of COVID-19 extends into the summer months, life as we know it continues to evolve in ways most of us have never seen nor anticipated. Among the most prominent of these changes is the en-masse migration of corporate employees from the traditional office setting to the at-home working environment. We are also seeing employees not accustomed to working behind a desk now spending prolonged periods of time working in front of a computer. Over the past few months, office workers from across the globe have been forced to adjust to the long-term reality of remote employment, establishing a “new normal” centered largely around video calls, virtual happy hours, and makeshift workspaces. And for many, this shift isn’t merely a temporary trend, as 74% of companies say they plan to permanently shift to more remote work after COVID-19 has slowed. As part of this shift, millions of workers are now experiencing previously unknown issues relating to pain, soreness, and discomfort in the workplace. This is primarily due to one key factor – a lack of ergonomic standardization in the home. The non-standardized home environment In an office, there are science-based tools and protocols backed by the field of ergonomics that provide workers with an optimal environment for comfort and productivity. Factors like working surface heights and modern tools like standing desks serve a purpose many office employees rarely notice or think about – until they’re no longer there. In the at-home working environment, these systems of standardization are removed, and workers are forced to navigate a highly variable scenario they’re not nearly as familiar with. In many cases, the results are nagging soreness, discomfort, and a lack of productivity that negatively impacts the employee and the business. The variables of the home Consider Moe – the modern office employee shifting to at-home work from his typical corporate setting. Moe is married and lives with his wife and two young children – both of whom are also now confined to the home as daycare is on hold due to social distancing protocols. Throughout the course of the average day, Moe and his wife alternate between working and caring for the children in shifts, which results in Moe rotating between different improvised workstations:

  1. He starts his day at the kitchen counter, where he hunches abnormally over his laptop and sits on a stool with no backrest or armrests. After a short time, his shoulders and neck start to ache.
  2. Around midday, Moe relocates to the basement couch for some privacy, where he naturally slouches and puts his feet up. It’s not until he stands that he notices his lower back is sore.
  3. In the afternoon, Moe moves to the deck the enjoy a bit of sunshine as he sends out his final emails of the day. Once again, he eventually starts to experience discomfort in his shoulders and wrists, as his patio furniture is designed for lounging and dining – but not for computer work.

This is the unique challenge of at-home ergonomics. There are innumerable variables not just from one household to the next, but also within each household throughout the course of a given day. The risks and their severity and duration are completely random, and most people lack the tools and resources necessary to combat the issues in their own homes. So what does this mean? It means that because the at-home work environment isn’t standardized, the solution can’t be standardized, either. Rather, an ergonomic solution must be provided on a case-by-case basis that matches the needs of both the worker and the home. At-home ergonomic support from Fit For Work Fit For Work delivers this through our ErgoHome™ solution – a one-on-one, virtual consultation personalized to each employee’s unique situation. We connect remote workers with our Ergonomic Specialists to address the complex human interactions in the home, ultimately providing an in-depth evaluation, analysis, and education/recommendations to allow for more comfortable and productive work. ErgoHome™ is scalable to support up to thousands of workers, delivering at-home ergonomics solutions designed to address what are becoming new but increasingly difficult challenges for workers. Contact us today to book an at-home ergonomic consultation and start empowering your employees for optimal performance in their remote work.

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