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Work From Home – Office Ergonomic Checklist

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Even with the pandemic and the shift to work from home (“WFH”), business owners remain responsible for making sure employees’ home work spaces are safe, comfortable, and effective.  For employees working at a computer most of the day, bad ergonomics can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and sciatica.  MSDs can be uncomfortable or painful for employees.  Beyond the impact on productivity and job satisfaction, MSDs often require medical treatment and can result in longer term disabilities.

When employees work from home, the are unlikely to have the same chair and workstation options as they do at the office.  Businesses should do what they can to help employees maintain good posture and relieve strain.

This short checklist can help you evaluate work from home environments. Have employees answer these questions to determine if any changes are needed and appropriate. Often, small adjustments to the work space can improve ergonomics and reduce the risk of injury.

General

  • Are items that you frequently use located close by?
  • Are items positioned equally on both sides, i.e., not all on the dominant side of your body?

Chair

  • Are feet resting flat on the floor, with hips slightly higher than knees?
  • Does the chair fit the contour of your back? If you can, adjust the back rest up or down to fit the
    natural curve of your lower back with the curve of the chair.
  • Is there a two-finger gap between the back of your lower legs and the seat of your chair? If
    possible, adjust the seat pan forward or backward to correctly fit it to the length of your legs.
  • Are both chair arms are at the same height to prevent you from leaning one way throughout the
    day?
  • Can you use your keyboard and mouse without twisting or reaching? Note: If you can’t get the
    keyboard or monitor low enough for your body type then raise your chair and use a footrest to
    obtain the ideal height for the chair, keyboard, and monitor.

Keyboard

  • Is the keyboard close to elbow level to help keep the wrists straight? Note: Don’t use high force to
    type on your keyboard as force can put strain on your muscles and ligaments.
  • Is the mouse located right next to the keyboard so it can be operated without reaching?
  • Can you move your mouse cursor from one end of your screen(s) to the other without picking it
    up? (Adjust mouse/pointer settings as needed in your software)

Computer monitor(s)

  • Can you see the display of both monitors without looking downward or to either side?
  • Does the distance from your monitor(s) to your eyes allow you to read the screen without leaning
    your head, neck, or trunk forward or backward?
  • Is the monitor positioned so the top line of the screen is no higher than eye level? Note: If you
    wear bifocals and you feel like you’re always looking down, you should adjust your monitors lower
    than the normal height to use the bifocal part of your glasses.

Varying positions

  • When possible, do you make small adjustments to your chair or backrest to keep from staying in
    the same posture for long periods of time?
  • Do you stretch your fingers, hands, arms, and torso throughout the day?
  • At least hourly, do you stand up and walk around for a few minutes periodically?
  • If possible, do you perform some of your tasks in a standing position? Note: When adjusting height of your
    desk or monitor, ensure it is on a sturdy surface with proper adjustment of your mouse also.

If you cannot answer “Yes” to most, if not all, of these questions, we can help.  Cumulus Global can provide ergonomic aids — from keyboards and wrist supports to monitor arms and sit/stand desks. Email us or complete our contact form for information and solutions.

 

The Opening Dilemma

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Without a consistent national strategy and leadership, decisions on how to open are economy are left to state and local leaders.  While very few states have me the limited criteria published by the CDC, states are proceeding and are in various phases of re-opening. At the same time, we have failed to contain COVID-19 at the national level. We are not facing a second wave, as the first wave is not over. We see progress in former hot spots, while other areas are seeing record-setting spikes in cases and hospitalizations.

The challenge we face as business owners is how to adapt.

It is one thing to be closed or limited in operations and then re-open.  It is a whole different scenario if we continue to see slow downs, halts, and backtracking.  None of the CARES Act or other relief packages account for businesses need to scale back or close a second time (or third time, or more). Recalling employees only to furlough them again is a damaging cycle. It is hard to plan if you are unsure how you will be able to operate next month or next quarter.

When will this end?

COVID-19 will be behind us when we have a vaccine that is proven to be safe and effective. We will not know this until months after large percentages of the population have been vaccinated, possibly 12 to 24 months from now.  Until then, expect the need for remote work, extra safety precautions, changes to business conditions, and starts/stops with re-opening.

Near Term Flexibility / Long Term Plan

The best advice we have heard, and shared, is to be flexible in the short term while planning for your long term.  In the short term:

  • Understand the phases, guidance, and rules at the local and state level for your business. These may differ for each of your business locations.
  • Understand the phases, guidance, and rules facing your customers.  This is harder to track and manage, but possible if you ask your customers for this information when you engage with them. Doing so will identify issues and help you overcome obstacles.
  • Do not rely solely on local guidance and rules. Unfortunately, re-opening guidance and restrictions have become politicized.  While relying on local rules may provide legal cover, doing so may harm your business if employees or customers get sick.
  • Expect the uncertainty to continue. We scrambled to adjust to closing and continue to scramble as reopening rules come into play and change. Many of the adjustments we made were fine as stop-gap measures.  Now is the time to step back and formalize the changes.  Make sure that your policies and procedures are accurate and up to date. Make sure users are working on company systems and not “shadow IT” services. Make sure your data is on company systems and properly protected.
  • Consider making temporary changes permanent, at least in part.  Many of us realize that more jobs can be done remotely, and done well, than previously thought.  You can take advantage of this long-term in several ways, including reducing the size of your physical offices, recruiting outside of your immediate geographic locations, and offering staff more flexibility.  Doing so can strategically lower costs and improve productivity.

If you want to discuss your near-term or long-term plans, please contact us. We are offering free and discounted services to help you ensure your next steps carry you forward.