FMJ.CO.UK ERGONOMICS FOCUS
NOVEMBER 2020 25
including products and technology are
enabling businesses to fully embrace
new working patterns, including remote
working.
Establishing what people require to be
set up to work from home e ectively is the
first step to implementing a good home
working practice. FMs are familiar with
ensuring employees are set up correctly
with the required products in the o ice.
The challenge now is for FMs to understand
what is necessary for employees at home.
There is one important thing to bear in
mind and that is ergonomics for home
working.
Ergonomics is the process of designing or
arranging workspaces and using products
that enhance productivity, comfort and
health. Creating an ergonomic workspace
will not only provide employees with a
comfortable workstation, a home from
home away from the o ice, but also create
a positive working environment.
O en when we hear of workspace
ergonomics we think about positioning and
posture. Yes, a good o ice chair or one that
supports posture is essential for workers,
the kitchen stool or dining chair will not
su ice for long-term working from home
arrangements. Not only do workers need
to feel comfortable in their new working
environment, but this also leads to less
health issues in the future. Given that the
majority of UK workers were o ice- based
in the past, many sta will also not be
working on a suitable or dedicated o ice
desk, so proper ergonomic positioning
must be passed onto employees by FMs. For
an ergonomic sitting position, elbows and
knees should be at a 90-degree angle, and
the top of the screen should be exactly at
eye level.
There are certain products FMs can draw
on to support with this. Many UK workers
without a home o ice set up are working on
laptops, which leads to working hunched
over, causing back and neck pain and
general discomfort a er long periods of
time. Using a monitor mount keeps posture
at the correct angle and using mounts
which support multiple screens boosts
productivity. This could be something that
FMs can provide sta with to help them
maintain a good ergonomic posture whilst
working from home.
But it’s not just about the desk and
chair. Choosing the correct working
environment can also help workers to be
more productive when working from home.
For example, encourage employees to set
up a dedicated home o ice area, as this can
provide mental distance from home life.
Not everyone has the luxury of such space,
so there are other things you can suggest to
create the ideal working environment.
We might not realise it, but light has a
significant impact on processes inside
the body. It regulates the production of
various hormones including the sleep
hormone melatonin, which ensures that
we relax in the evening and encourages
us to fall into a refreshing sleep.
Raconteur(i) recorded in 2018
that 40 per cent of 7,000
employees surveyed
are working in poor
lighting every
day which was
having a negative
impact on their
performance
– and that’s
in the o ice.
Working side on
by a window is
the optimal place
for light to balance
with your circadian
rhythm. Failing that,
human-centric lighting solutions
such as LUCTRA replicate the motion
and colour spectrum of the sun, which
maintains the body’s healthy circadian
rhythm, leading to more productive,
happy and healthy employees. Encourage
your sta to set up their home o ice using
the best possible light.
WORKSTATION AND CLEAN
DESK PRINCIPLE
The practicality of working from home is
another area that FMs need to approach.
Although flexible working was on the up
before 2020, this may be a new concept
to many workers and employers alike.
Do employees have all the necessary
technologies and products to work
from home e ectively? Flexible and
remote working calls for flexible
solutions so here are a few
suggestions to provide your
employees with to make
their lives a little bit easier
(especially if they’re splitting
their time between home
and the o ice, or don’t have
a dedicated space at home
to work).
Following the Clean Desk
Principle, ensuring employees
have a functional and organised
But it’s not just about
the desk and chair.
Choosing the correct working
environment can also help
workspace will be FMs’ biggest
workers to be more
productive when working
challenge. It’s easy for workers to develop
bad habits, perhaps from the early stages
of lockdown – makeshi workspaces with
paperwork which was grabbed last minute
from the o ice strewn over the desk.
According to the Fraunhofer Institute(ii),
10 per cent of productive work time is
lost through searching for equipment and
from home.”