What To Know Before Your Office Ergonomics Assessment
Working from a home office can be both liberating and challenging. On one hand, you're free to choose the most comfortable desk chair, select a spot with the best lighting and take breaks whenever you want. On the other hand, you may not have access to the resources or expertise that an office provides.
One of those resources is an office ergonomics assessment, which can help ensure that your workspace is as comfortable and safe as possible. Here's a quick rundown of what the assessment includes and things to expect from it.
What Does an Office Ergonomics Assessment Involve?
An ergonomics assessment evaluates how well your work environment suits your needs and preferences. It mainly looks at how the objects in your workspace — such as chairs, desks, and keyboards — are positioned, how comfortable they are, and whether your posture is correct.
The assessor will look at your posture, your desk and chair height, how far away you sit from the computer screen, and any other factors that may affect comfort or safety. They will also check for any potential hazards like exposed wires or slippery floors. The idea is to make sure that everything in your workspace allows you to work without experiencing any pain or discomfort.
What More Happens During the Assessment?
The assessor will likely ask questions about how often you use certain items in your workspace. For example, they might ask if you use a laptop instead of a desktop computer or prefer standing desks, as well as any issues you might have noticed (like neck pain after sitting for long periods).
The assessor may also perform a few physical tests, like asking you to stand up straight or move around in different positions so they can better evaluate how well your workspace suits your needs. This helps them suggest changes that could make your workspace more comfortable and efficient.
After assessing your workplace, the assessor will make recommendations on how to improve it based on their findings. These could include purchasing new equipment (like a proper office chair) or rearranging furniture to create a more ergonomic setup.
You should also get tips on maintaining good posture while seated and suggestions on how often to take breaks throughout the day to stay healthy and alert while working from home. In some cases, the assessor may even suggest exercises you can do to improve your posture or reduce fatigue.
An office ergonomics assessment is an important part of creating a comfortable, safe workspace for yourself when working from home. It's not enough just to buy a nice desk chair. You also need to make sure it fits correctly and is positioned correctly within your space so it doesn't hurt your posture over time.
With an effective assessment, you'll be able to enjoy all the benefits of working from home without worrying about developing aches and pains due to poor setup!
