Providing flexible working spaces

For those of us in the Ergonomics game, it has been pleasing to see the increasing interest in providing more flexible working spaces including the use of sit/stand workstation or tables. The health benefits of alternating between sitting and standing are well documented including postural variety which can help people manage lower back pain, reduction in risk for metabolic syndrome* and increased energy consumption. Studies and anecdotal evidence also suggest that appropriate levels of standing at work can improve energy levels, improve focus and reduce fatigue over the course of the working day.

In general, I’m a big fan of this new way of working if it is implemented properly.

Prevent the infomercial trend

However like any new trend, there will be many people (and businesses), who as my colleague Ian King suggests, “will over react in the short term and under react in the long term!”.

Certainly I am seeing this with sit / stand desks. Every second person wants a sit/stand work arrangement, most have little or no idea how to get the right one for their needs and the needs of the organisation. Already I am seeing some sit/stand desks gathering dust in the corner of the office mainly due to a lack of understanding of how to tailor sitting and standing to the individual (they can’t be stored under your bed or in the clothes closet like the ab roller!).

Sadly many people who have purchased sit/ stand desks have no firm needs based program matching their needs and tasks to alternating sitting and standing postures. They continue to sit at their sit/ stand desk and continue to work themselves to an early death by sitting combined with poor posture.

Marathon Standers

On the other side of the habitual sitters are the marathon standers, firmly believing that they are achieving health goals by never sitting. This can also be said of some employers who roll out mandates on sitting and standing without considering the needs and health of their workers. Grade A+ for effort, but let’s work out how to make this work well.

So, without writing a marathon, let’s review some reasons and considerations which influence a decision to implement sit/stand desk work arrangements. This will help you maximise the positive outcomes and minimise the negative effects of this new piece of equipment:

1. Are you getting a sit/stand desk to solve your neck and shoulder pain issues?

If you already suffer from neck or shoulder pain, I would suggest that a sit stand desk is unlikely to improve this for you. From my experience the main factors contributing to neck and shoulder pain at work are your shoulder height to desk height relationship, thoracic stiffness, neck angle and head position, holding static neck and shoulder muscle contraction and amount of psychological loading. If you can’t solve these by better working posture or activity in sitting, I suspect you won’t solve them in standing without professional advice and guidance. If you like to work at your desk whilst using your chair as a recliner then standing to work will position your trunk in a more upright posture. This may assist your discomfort or it may worsen or move it to another site without careful guidance. Ensure you have an Ergonomic needs assessment and implement good working postures sitting and standing.

2. Lighting or glare issues

If you are affected by glare, contrast and lighting issues in your current work location, I suggest these are likely to be worse when you stand to work. In sitting, glare and lighting issues may be somewhat controlled with screens or panels behind the monitor, it is unlikely you will be able to get screens and panels that are positioned to provide this protection in standing. Consider the influence of lighting, glare and contrast issues when moving from sitting to standing work.

3. Typing efficiency

If you can’t type well in a sitting posture, I suggest you will probably be slightly worse at typing in standing. Fine motor tasks like keying and mouse use require you to display good proximal stability to perform efficiently. You achieve improved proximal stability in sitting from the simple fact that more of your body parts are being provided stability from the support of your chair. A sit / stand desk placed over a treadmill is likely to be even harder to type at, let alone concentrate at. Improve your sitting and standing posture and determine if the task at hand is best performed in a sitting or standing posture.

Postural change at work is very important to stay well and reduce your risk of metabolic syndromes. Sit / stand desks are an integral part of this solution when individual health, ergonomic, postural, environmental, psychological and work culture factors are considered.

In Part 2, I will explore more areas to consider to help you determine how to best use a sit/stand desk including:

• Tailoring standing to your body’s needs
• Mitigation of risk from cumulative standing
• Sit/stand working etiquette

 

* According to the Mayo Clinic – Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels — that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

 

About the Author

Brenton Fielke is the managing director, Occupational Therapist and Ergonomic Consultant at Sante’ Group, providing education, training and Ergonomic interventions within workplaces to improve efficiency, health, performance and productivity.

Sante’ Group are pleased to announce our ongoing support of a new program to address hazardous manual tasks in a large aged care and community care organisation.

Work on the program commenced over 12 months ago and has been conducted in a thorough joint process with the provider.

The process involved a comprehensive review of previous strategies, development of a new induction program, pilot trials of the program, and train the trainer program for the provider’s key staff.

We look forward to supporting LCC in their goal to provide a comprehensive and innovative approach to addressing hazardous manual tasks in this industry.

Sante’ Group has been successful working with Greyhound Australia, Seymours Transport and Stoddard Group to secure grants as part of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, Healthy Worker Initiative.

The grants aim to assist “at risk” industries develop strategies to support healthy changes in their workforce.  Strategies include education and activities to promote:

• Exercise
• General activity levels
• Nutrition
• Smoking ceasation
• Reduction of alcohol use

We are proud to support these companies in their efforts to develop a healthier and safer workforce.

 

 

 

Sante’ Group are happy to announce they are a partner in the QLD Rehab Alliance’s successful tender to provide ergonomic assessments for Ergon Energy.

 

We look forward to working with our partner in the Qld Rehab Alliance to provide first class and professional ergonomic assessments and solutions to Ergon Energy.