Is An Ergonomic Process Worth The Cost?
Are your staff complaining about aches and pains? Perhaps they aren’t performing at their best? Well perhaps their workstation and working environment has something to do with it.
Hunching over a desk may not seem like a major safety risk now, but imagine the possible health risks of spending 15 years working from that same position!
Having an ergonomic working environment is important because when you’re doing a job and your body is stressed by an awkward posture, extreme temperature, or repeated movement, your body could be adversely affected. Symptoms such as fatigue, discomfort, and pain, are not going to be of any benefit to either the employee or employer.
Business owners and managers are constantly trying to find ways to boost employee engagement and increase productivity while at the same time reduce health problems and absenteeism. Installing ergonomic workstations and office furniture can help accomplish all of the above in an affordable and efficient manner.
The benefits of having both an ergonomic environment and office furniture greatly outweigh the initial cost of installing ergonomic furniture. So let’s have a look some of the potential benefits:
- Health and safety
The biggest advantage to installing ergonomic furniture and improving the working environment is the positive effect it will have on the health of your employees. Over time, the ergonomic elements of well-designed office furniture and surroundings will help keep your workers feeling healthy, and more importantly, preserve their spines and joints from unnecessary injury. Having an ergonomic environment also sends a clear message of your company’s commitment to safety as a core value.
- Reduced absenteeism and costs
Following on from the above, and quite simply, having healthy pain-free workers, are more likely to be engaged in their work and less likely to have time off work through injury. There are both direct and indirect costs relating to time taken off through injuries and illness sustained from unsuitable office furniture and poor working environment which could easily be avoidable if working environment and workstations are better designed.
- Improved productivity and efficiency
Improved productivity and efficiency are two positive side effects of installing ergonomic furniture. This is because ergonomic workstations enable employees to properly organise and manage their daily workload. What’s more, your staff will spend more time completing tasks and less time massaging their aching backs! By ensuring there is an ergonomic environment will in turn allow for good posture, less exertion, fewer motions and better heights and reaches, the workstation becomes more efficient.
- Better employee engagement
Employees notice when the company is putting forth their best efforts to ensure their health and safety. If an employee does not experience fatigue and discomfort during their workday, it can reduce turnover, decrease absenteeism, improve morale and increase employee involvement.
So going back to the question in the title, yes, absolutely, a wise investment that employers should not avoid.
If your organisation is in need of some ideas to improve and maintain employee engagement, then look no further. The Survey Initiative have over 15 years’ experience in employee research, so give us a call on +44 (0)1255 850051 or contact us via our website.