Ergonomics - a fairly familiar phrase in today's life, especially often "called" by office workers and known from ergonomic furniture products in the office. However, not everyone understands ergonomics clearly. In this article, join Epione to explore the definition of ergonomics, the benefits of ergonomics in the workplace and ways to use ergonomic furniture optimally to ensure health and increase work productivity.
What is ergonomics? What is ergonomic furniture?
Currently, there are many different sources of information and documents defining ergonomics. However, in this article, Epione will summarize a popular definition, published on the Vietnam Ministry of Health's Electronic Information Portal about ergonomics as follows:
The word “Ergonomics” comes from the Greek root: Ergo - meaning labor; Nomos - law. According to the definition of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA): Ergonomics is an interdisciplinary science, made up of human sciences to match work, machinery systems, equipment, products and environments with physical and intellectual capabilities and even human limitations.
In the 1980s, along with the explosion of computers in the workplace, ergonomics took a turn. At that time, workers had to work directly with machines and technological equipment in the office, so signs of injury began to appear. From here, people began to apply ergonomics to prevent unnecessary injuries and improve the health of employees.
With a process of formation and development over hundreds of years, today ergonomic furniture can be basically defined as furniture that is researched and designed to support posture, creating comfort for the user. Thereby, reducing the risk of bone and joint problems, arthritis, back pain, neck and shoulder pain...
Ergonomics is gradually becoming a popular and widely mentioned phrase in the field of office furniture.
4 benefits of ergonomic furniture in the work environment
A report by Digby Brown Solicitors has revealed that a large proportion of the 600,000 workplace injuries recorded each year in the UK can be traced back to outdated and unsafe office furniture.
To minimize the negative health effects in the workplace, ergonomic furniture has researched, designed and improved products and equipment to suit people and help improve work efficiency as well as health. The 4 most easily observed benefits of ergonomic furniture that affect the working environment can be listed as follows:
1. Improve health and reduce disease
Ergonomic furniture can help users reduce back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain by reducing pressure on joints and muscles. For example, the design of an ergonomic chair allows users to adjust the height of the chair, headrest, backrest, etc. to suit the user's physical condition and the corresponding height of the desk. From there, it helps people create the best posture when working.
Currently, in the Vietnamese market, there are ergonomic chair products optimized for each subject. For example, in Vietnam, there is the Epione EasyChair Blossom Ergonomic Chair line with designs and specifications specifically for women. This will minimize the situation of chairs being designed too high, too wide or too big for women.
2. Increase work efficiency
In fact, healthy workers are always more productive workers. Ergonomic products can help office workers relieve stress and fatigue and improve their mood, thereby increasing work efficiency. Because ergonomic interior design helps to adjust the user's posture in the best way, reducing repetitive movements that lead to muscle tension... For example: A desk with an inappropriate height, you always have to bend or lean forward when working. This will definitely give you a bad experience in terms of health and spirit every time you work. Back pain, joint pain... are warnings from your body.
Therefore, if employees are comfortable with the company's physical conditions, work efficiency will be more optimal.
3. Improve mental health, reduce stress and limit "burning" working hours
Ergonomic products help reduce stress and improve employees' mental health, thereby creating a sense of comfort, confidence, and enhancing concentration and creativity at work.
A simple example, which probably happens every day at work: If dozens of files and papers are not neatly arranged, an employee has to spend a lot of time searching. Surely when doing that action, the employee will waste a lot of time, work efficiency is not high and you are not happy.
So why not try applying ergonomic products to the office? Filing cabinets, lockers (office iron cabinets), filing shelves… will help employees keep and organize work scientifically, reduce stress and avoid “burning” time for a task.
4. Increase employee satisfaction and retention
Investing in the health, safety, and happiness of your employees can increase employee satisfaction and engagement. Ergonomic products can help you do just that.
A study conducted by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries reported that the use of ergonomic furniture significantly reduced employee absenteeism.
Encouraging your employees to take regular breaks, change their posture frequently, and adjust their work areas to better suit their body size and shape is also a way to build a healthy company culture.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) are related to the work environment. And one of the ways mentioned to reduce this disease is to apply ergonomic products to the workplace.
Popular ergonomic products in the office and how to use them effectively
Currently, the domestic and foreign markets have many ergonomic products to serve the needs of office workers. Some popular and easy-to-find products are:
- Ergonomic chair
- Lifting work table
- Keyboard and mouse
- Desk pad
- Backrest cushion…
Epione's basic product set for office workers.
Ergonomic products can help you improve your productivity at work. However, when using ergonomic products in the office, there are a few factors to keep in mind to ensure that you optimize the product's functionality and minimize the risk of injury and unnecessary problems.
1. Read the instructions carefully
It seems simple, but many customers skip the step of reading the user manual of a product. Before using any ergonomic product, you need to read the user manual carefully to understand how to use and the features of that product. This will minimize the situation of your product being misused, the features being used incorrectly, leading to a reduction in the product's lifespan.
2. Use regularly and learn about the useful features
Ergonomic products often have many different convenient features. When spending a certain amount of money to invest in a product, everyone certainly wants to fully exploit those features. If you do not read the user manual carefully or do not search for related information, you may not be able to fully exploit their functions.
Learn about ergonomic chair features that help users get the best experience
3. Choose ergonomic products that suit your needs and job requirements
With Epione's experience, a good product is a suitable product. Choosing the right ergonomic furniture products for your needs and work requirements is very important. To make your choice easier, you can refer to the following basic "bullet points":
- Determine the needs and requirements of the job: You need to evaluate your job and determine the need for ergonomic features. For example: The nature of your job requires you to sit continuously for many hours, you sweat a lot and your skin is easily irritated by unsafe ingredients in the fabric. Therefore, you need to choose an ergonomic chair that can adjust the height, tilt or width of the seat pan appropriately. The advantage is that it has a neckrest and footrest. In particular, prioritize chairs with high-quality mesh backrests to avoid stuffiness and irritation. Currently, it is not difficult to find such products. You can refer to the Epione Ergochair Pro 2.0 Ergonomic Chair , Epione EasyChair 2.0 Ergonomic Chair ...
- Find the right product: After determining your needs, you can search for furniture products with suitable ergonomic features. You can order directly from abroad with brands such as IKEA, Okamura... However, the price will be a bit high and the warranty issue is quite complicated if the brand does not have a headquarters in Vietnam.
- Check the product features: You should carefully check the product features before deciding to buy. For example, check if the chair height is adjustable or if the backrest tilt is suitable for your body shape.
- Product Testing: If possible, you should test the product before deciding to buy. Testing helps you check the product's features and ensure that the product fits your needs and requirements for your work. And if you choose a local ergonomic furniture supplier, you can easily experience the product rather than ordering from abroad.
- Consider the cost: Finally, you should consider the cost of the product and choose a product that has the ergonomic features that suit your needs and job requirements while still being reasonably priced.
4. Applying ergonomics in office interior design appropriately
Nowadays, ergonomics is a design method that has been widely used in interior design as well as architecture. This method focuses on creating a convenient and comfortable working environment for employees in the office. Therefore, you need to consider the elements that make up a corporate group, including diversity, independence, good development, system, cooperative spirit, emotion, no boundaries, corporate culture and management style to apply appropriately to reality.
In conclusion, investing in ergonomic furniture is a smart decision to enhance health and productivity in the working environment. With the benefits of ergonomic furniture, businesses and individuals can choose the right ergonomic products to maximize usage and achieve the best results at work.
