How to set up your workstation in under 60 seconds

Setting up your workstation correctly is one of the simplest ways to prevent workplace aches and pains. Sometimes a sore neck, ache-y back or stiff shoulder can be significantly improved with a small adjustment.

But before you learn how to set up your workstation, do you know the importance of ergonomics in the office?

What are the benefits of improving your ergonomics in the workplace?

Most of us know that using ergonomics in the workplace is essential for office workers that sit for long hours every day. But for those of you who don’t know the benefits of an ergonomic workstation, here are a few that will hopefully encourage you to upgrade your workstation:

1.      Fewer injuries

Having an ergonomic workstation that’s set up correctly is so important for reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). If you’ve got an office chair that’s not adjustable, no armrests and a desk that’s too high for you, you’re at high risk of experiencing neck or back pain.

2.      Boosted productivity

A comfortable person makes a productive person which means more work gets done. Ergonomics is great for mental health as well as physical.

3.      Good quality work

Not only will you be more productive, but you will produce higher quality work.

4.      Improved employee engagement

If you’re an employer looking to improve employee engagement, bringing ergonomics into the office is a fantastic way to improve this. Employees will notice if you’re putting effort into ensuring their health and safety

How to set up your workstation

If you’re looking to improve your daily work life with a comfortable set-up but you’re not sure how to set it up correctly, watch our YouTube video where Jo Blood our DSE expert and workstation assessor demonstrates how easy is it to set up your workstation. It’s so quick and easy it can be done in under 60 seconds!

These adjustments may be small, but they make a huge difference, and you will be sure to notice.

Display screen assessments

If you’re still struggling with your workstation set up why not take our quick and easy online workstation assessment for 99p which will help you pinpoint what changes need to be made.

Looking to change up your workstation and give it an upgrade? Picking out a desk and office chair can be hard, there are so many options, and they can be expensive, so you want to make sure you get the perfect chair and desk.

The desk

The key thing we recommend looking for when buying a desk is the height. You want to make sure that your desk isn’t too low for you as this will give you a small amount of space under your desk for your legs which aren’t very comfortable. You also want to check your desk is too high for you as well as this can put a lot of strain on your arms and neck because you’ll be reaching up to use your keyboard.

What do you do if your desk isn’t the right height?

One option is an adjustable desk. Adjustable desks are fantastic, they give you the option of working standing up which is excellent for reducing back pain and boosting productivity, and it means your desk will always be the perfect height for you. If you’d like a cheaper option, you could try out some desk raisers. Desk raisers are placed under each desk leg to raise the height of the desk.

The chair

Adjustability is key to a pain-free workstation. We recommend an adjustable ergonomic chair to anyone spending long periods sitting down.

Look out for these when buying an office chair:

• Seat width and depth adjustment
• Seat height adjustment
• Fully adjustable armrests
• Good back support

For more information on ergonomic chairs check out this blogpost.

If you need extra advice then get in touch, our friendly team are always on hand to help. If you are thinking about visiting us in person, please call to make an appointment.