Work from Home Ergonomics

by Wade Larkin on

Work from Home Ergonomics

The majority of Australian workplaces have shifted from full-time office working environments to more flexible arrangements, including working remotely. As a result, work from home ergonomics has become more topical than ever before. It’s never been more important to replicate a happy and healthy working environment at home, as well as in the office.

Whether you’re a working professional who is now working remotely or merely someone who values their health and well-being, work from home ergonomics is something worth serious consideration. Poor home office ergonomics can lead to neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain, decreased blood circulation and, in severe cases, injury. Thankfully, there are now many ergonomic office furniture options to ensure that you can protect your well-being in your home office environment.

Understanding Work from Home Ergonomics

Before we delve into some clever commercial office furniture solutions that will assist in creating a healthier and safer work setup, we’ll first look at how to set yourself up in an ideal ergonomic seated position.

Defining a Suitable Seated Position

When seated at your desk, you should remain in a relatively symmetrical position, with your body close to the desk itself. Additionally, the screen should be approximately arm’s length away from you. Your head and neck should face directly forward in a midline position, where the monitor and keyboard should be positioned. The back of the seat should be upright and the arms resting at a 90-degree angle to the top of the desk. Shoulders should be back and relaxed, with the elbows tucked into your sides. Your eyes should sit at the top or just below the top of your computer screen. Hips should have an open angle and be flexed at 90 to 120 degrees if you are sitting, and your lower back should be supported by a curve in the back of the chair. The feet should be positioned flat on the floor, with a footrest allowing feet to fall flat where necessary. Following these instructions will contribute to an excellent ergonomic setup in your home workspace.

Ergonomic Work from Home Furniture

Now that we have outlined the best seated position for your desk workspace let’s explore some of the commercial furniture options available to office-based professionals.

Ergonomic Desks

When considering work from home ergonomics, multi-functional desks should be at the top of your priority list. Ergonomic desks are an essential addition to most working from home offices as they enable us to sit, stand or alternate, depending on our specific requirements at the time. Height adjustable desks are also the best way to promote increased mobility in the workplace. Moving more throughout the working day is proven to significantly reduce work related health conditions for office workers such as heart disease, obesity, and muscular skeletal health concerns. Ergonomic desks enable professionals to move and alternate their posture throughout the day, which can have a profound, accumulative benefit on their health.

Ergonomic Chairs

Numerous innovative companies invest in research and inventing health-positive chairs that align the body and offer superior comfort for working professionals. Investing in an ergonomic chair is one of the best ways to support wellbeing during the working day. When sitting in your home office, be sure to sit in an upright, comfortable position. Select chairs with proven ergonomic performance, in which seat height can be adjusted to an ideal position where your eye level hits the top of the screen. Adjustable back height is essential for setting up the chair’s curvature to mould to your spine’s curve and support the back. Lumbar supportive chairs will have a curve at the back to ensure that the lower back is supported which can prevent issues such as back pain. Products such as the Herman Miller Embody Chair or the HAG Capisco Chair are highly regarded by health professionals for use by office workers due to their state-of-the-art ergonomic design and reliable, quality manufacturing.

Ergonomic Furniture Accessories 

Considering your computer height when setting up your home office ergonomics is crucial in avoiding negative health implications. Getting the computer height perfect is essential when setting up working from the home office environment to avoid neck injury. Ergonomic accessories such as monitor arms grant you the ability to move your monitor around quickly and easily to accommodate your specific workspace.

Lighting 

Lighting is an essential aspect of a great working from home environment. The correct application of lighting arrangements in the home office reduces eye strain. Eye strain and stress can cause tension headaches or migraines. Less eye strain and related problems ultimately lead to healthier workdays. 

NPS Commercial Furniture for your Home Office 

When setting up your home office environment, it’s essential to consider the type of ergonomic furniture that will enable you to create a comfortable and productive environment. Investing in suitable desks, chairs, computer accessories, and lighting will prevent pain or injury caused by the working environment. 

As the leading commercial furniture specialists in North Queensland, NPS Commercial Furniture have an extensive high-quality commercial furniture range. Our range includes height adjustable desks, monitor arms and lighting that will ensure your home office environment both looks and feels fantastic. The quality furniture brands that are part of our range have been specifically designed to improve your home office environment. Health professionals recognise these selections of furniture as leading-edge brands in the home office ergonomics space.

NPS Commercial Furniture is a Townsville-based commercial furniture company serving multiple industries. If you’d like to find out more about the best home office furniture Townsville offerings, leave an enquiry regarding creating a healthy home office environment with NPS Commercial Furniture today.