Today, 42% of the American workforce works from home full-time. Even prior to the pandemic, we were on a trajectory for remote work to become the norm.
In the last year or so, you or your employees might have set up a home office to work from home comfortably. But do you or your employees truly have a good home office setup?
Here are 4 common home office design mistakes to avoid when designing a home office for remote workers:
1. Using A Dining Chair to Sit In
We already have the chairs sitting around, and we might even have a few extra. So why not make use of them by bringing one into the home office to sit on?
The reality is, these chairs are hard, uncomfortable, and not very ergonomic.
It’s worth it to invest in a good, ergonomic office chair. You can adjust them to match any table and it will help keep your head, neck, shoulders, back, and legs pain-free.
In fact, having good ergonomics in your home office will not only help prevent injury, but proper ergonomics can also make remote workers more productive while working.
Consider contacting an ergonomics expert for an ergonomics assessment of your home office design for yourself or your employees.
2. Getting No Natural Light
This one might be harder to avoid, especially if a remote worker has a less than optimal living situation. However, if possible, one should always put their home office by a window. Not only that, but the curtains and blinds should open as much as possible to get natural lighting.
Natural lighting is better on your eyes, but it can also help with mood. And when people are working in a good mood, this can really boost productivity and motivation.
3. Having a Cluttered Background
Clutter can be a serious demotivator whether working in the office or working from home. Not to mention, it doesn’t look very professional when you have to hop onto video calls.
Bookshelves and storage baskets can help organize everything in the home office. Not only can being more organized improve productivity for remote workers, but it can also make give one a nice backdrop when participating in the next zoom, video conference call.
Consider putting a big trash can next to the desk as well, and start throwing things away that are no longer needed.
4. Staying in One Place for Hours
Often, workers may become engrossed in their work and sit at the desk for hours, only to feel neck pain, shoulder pain, and back pain afterward. Sitting for long periods not only causes pain, but also increases your risk for things like high blood pressure and sugar, as well as heart disease and cancer.
What is great about being a remote worker is while you have space for a home office, you can also pick everything up and get a change of scenery. Remote workers should be encouraged to take their laptop and go work standing up at a kitchen counter for a bit or in the backyard to get some fresh air and a change of scenery.
Getting out of your home office gives you a chance to stretch your legs and recharge!
Remote workers should still take plenty of breaks too. Take a break for inspiration, stress relief, and to stay healthy – you will find it improves mood and increases productivity.
Stay Proactive About Your Home Office Design – Consider Contacting an Ergonomics Expert For A Home Office Ergonomics Assessment
By avoiding these home office mistakes, you or your staff should be able to create a home office design that works for them.
To take it a step further, we’d recommend investing in your or your staff’s home office space. To learn more about home office ergonomics assessments check out the virtual ergonomics home office assessments from Solutions Northwest Inc. These Virtual Ergonomics Assessments are designed to be convenient and affordable for remote workers (all you need is access to e-mail or a smart phone).
Looking for More Tips on How to Create an Ergonomic Workspace? Contact us at SolutionsNW.com, we will be happy to help you!
At SolutionsNW.com we value the importance of a positive workplace culture. Part of a positive workplace is a safe workplace, Contact Us to schedule an ergonomics consultation or ergonomics assessment for your office today.
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Olympia, WA 98501
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