You may recall the post on why choosing the right style of office is important. It touched on a frequently overlooked fundamental; ergonomics. Although the design of your office has a bearing on productivity, perhaps one of the most important aspects is ergonmics. Back problems are responsible for a large amount of work abscence and even as you are reading this now, there is a good chance your ergonomics could do with improvement.
We have put together a quick FindaLondonOffice guide to better ergonomics:
You don’t need to break the bank to improve your office space ergonomics, in any case, you can usually improve for free.
Computer Monitors
Place monitors a good distance away from seating, ideally, staff should keep their monitors at a minimum distance of 22 inches from their eyes.
Tilt monitors slightly up from the bottom. The top of the monitor should be further away from your eyes than the bottom as this will reduce both eye strain and neck discomfort.
Consider switching to LCD (flat panel) monitors if you happen to still have any old CRT ones in use. CRT monitors refresh their image constantly, a slow refresh rate can cause eye strain and headaches. If you absolutely must use CRT monitors, set the refresh rate as high as possible, 75Hz or higher is ideal. In any case, ensure that the resolution, brightness and contrast settings are optimised so that the picture is sharp and sufficiently bright.
Lighting
It is important to get sufficient levels of lightning. A well designed office space incorporates suitable lighting through use of ambient and natural light. This has been proven to boost brainpower in comparison to artificial sources of light.
For spaces with a plethora of workstations, softer background lighting is ideal to reduce glare.
Stationary and Utilities
Arranging tools so they are easily accessible sounds simple enough, however, moving a printer can be enough to save several hours over the course of a few months. Consider the location of all your tools.
Foot position
Use a footrests or even small boxes. Feet should be firmly planted on the floor and knees should be slightly higher than chair seats.
90% of Microsoft employees said their office space design had a direct bearing on their productivity.
For more essential tips and advice, have a look at The Knowledge - and for answers to your questions about London office space, check out our FAQs.
Ian Kitchener
Ian has advised Central London office occupiers for over 20 years - fighting their corner and making sure they get a great office on the best terms. He has a diverse client following, often working with creative companies.
