Tips & tricks for a healthy attitude at work

Even today, many activities still have to be carried out largely sitting down – almost 50 percent of all employees in Germany primarily work sitting down, with a slightly downward trend. More and more employers are therefore ergonomically redesigning workplaces to ensure a healthy posture at work. This has advantages for both employers and employees, for example, in terms of sick days and employee satisfaction.

Today, in this Deskspace blog, we will therefore look at how you, as an employee or employer, can design a workplace so that your posture does not suffer. We also give tips on how to finance this setup and what free options you have for your health.

Why poor posture at work is so fatal

According to statistics, every fourth sick leave from company health insurance funds in Germany is due to musculoskeletal diseases. Especially the upper back area, as well as shoulders and neck, are particularly at risk in office workplaces due to poor posture. There are countless reasons for this, but you may recognize yourself in many of them. However, the main reason is sitting for too long; on average, Germans sit for about 5.5 hours a day in the same position – but problems can arise after just 30 minutes of continuous sitting.

These causes frequently lead to back and neck pain and other health problems at work:

• Poor posture is maintained due to focus on work
• Looking down because of a desk that is too low
• Rounded back due to incorrect adjustment of table & chair
• Screen too small or wrong distance of eyes to monitor
• Noisy work environment or bad climate in the office
• Tense hands due to incorrect placement or old equipment

An unhealthy posture at work gradually leads to your health deteriorating further and further. It may only start with losses in concentration or headaches but already leads to back pain or more severe consequences after a few months. Therefore, it is important to establish a healthy posture at work early on, which you can then maintain. With the ergonomic office furniture from Deskspace, you have a strong partner at your side – feel free to visit our website!

Screen, keyboard & Co. – healthy posture is also relevant here!

With long, daily sitting, muscles shorten and tension & pain become more frequent. In addition, the risk of cardiovascular diseases and obesity increases, which is particularly noticeable in the long run. To minimize all risks as much as possible, Germany has the Occupational Health and Safety Act. This also includes the Display Screen Equipment Ordinance, which regulates certain aspects more or less specifically:

• The monitor must display images sharply and clearly; flickering and distortions must not occur.
• Brightness and contrast must be adjustable to the respective lighting conditions.
• The screen must be tiltable and rotatable so that it can be adjusted to the individual needs of the user.
• Mouse and keyboard must be fully movable so that ideal operation without negative consequences is possible for different arm lengths.
• The desk must offer enough space so that the hands can be placed in front of the keyboard.

You should not skimp on the equipment on your desk – or rather, you should point out to your employer that certain items are necessary to enable a healthy posture at work. This includes, for example, an ergonomic mouse and keyboard or a larger monitor with better resolution. In most cases, you can convince your supervisor of the purchase by highlighting the advantages that better equipment also offers the company, and it will be paid for.

But what exactly does an ergonomic mouse do? Here's a brief explanation: With a regular computer mouse, your wrist is constantly in a slightly bent position, so the tendons are under tension for a long time. This often results in wrist pain or discomfort in the hand. An ergonomic mouse simulates a relaxed hand posture, similar to a fist. This means there is no tension in the wrist and you can concentrate better – so hand posture is important for a healthy workplace.

Proper sitting – how to approach it in a healthy workplace!

Incorrect sitting is the main cause of most back, neck, and shoulder pain among office workers. A rounded back, stretched neck, or an overly reclined posture in the office chair will eventually affect your spine. Through so-called "dynamic sitting," you can prevent many of these effects and keep yourself fitter in your daily work – your concentration & work performance will also benefit from this.

With dynamic sitting, you regularly change your posture and are therefore never completely rigid. This keeps your muscles moving and prevents tension – there are several ways to practice dynamic sitting.

With an ergonomic sit-stand stool like the Deskspace Motion, you never sit completely still and you don't lean too far forward or backward, as there is no backrest. The Deskspace Motion can be continuously adjusted in height, allowing you to quickly adapt to a changed situation. Due to the lack of a backrest, your body has to maintain an upright posture on its own – you strengthen your entire core musculature. When standing, the stool takes 60 percent of your body weight off you and combines the advantages of sitting and standing – a real must-have in the office.

The height-adjustable desk is particularly recommended for workplaces used by several people. This allows the table and screen height to be adjusted to a different body size within seconds, without the need to purchase a new chair or similar – a healthy posture at work has never been so easy, feel free to visit the Deskspace website!

These are the most important basics you should consider if you want to work healthily at your office workplace for a long time. In most cases, you can also convince your employer to purchase new office equipment, so you don't have to bear the costs yourself. Take the opportunity to present your supervisor with the benefits that a healthy posture at work can have for the company – that way, you can surely convince them!

If you would like to find out more about Deskspace's healthy & ergonomic office furniture, please visit our clear website. Here you will also find detailed descriptions of how you can use the products for your work!