How should you set up your office desk?

How much do you think about the setup of your workstation before you plonk yourself there and start working? 

If your answer was anything other than “quite a lot, actually!” then you could be doing yourself quite a lot of harm.

 Not maintaining a comfortable and ergonomic workspace can actually pose serious health risks in the long term, including muscle/posture issues, eye strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injury and more. These dangers become all the more apparent when one considers just how long you can be at your desk each day.
Below is a simple guide to setting up the ideal workstation in your office, to ensure both you and your employees are in the best possible working environment.

Choosing an office chair:

The chair is arguably the most important element to the whole thing, since it is the chair that needs to support you properly throughout the vast majority of the working day. 

 It needs to be easily adjustable in case others might need it too, and it should provide support to the whole body when it is seated in a variety of postures. You know that a chair ergonomically sound if it allows good circulation in the thighs, and allows the posture to be maintained with little physical effort. But possibly the most vital consideration when choosing the chair is to ensure that in height and overall dimensions it is suited to the type of desk you have opted for.
Setting up the workstation:

Once you have a desk and chair that are suitably matched, you should turn your attention to how the workstation is set out.  All items on your workstation should be within easy reach – you shouldn’t be stretching to get things.
Monitor: Keep the computer monitor between 20 and 40 inches from your face, to minimize the risk of eye strain. Also, adjust the monitor so that the centre sits nicely at eye level. Or, if you are a wearer of bifocals, set the monitor around 15 degrees below eye level so that you can see it comfortably when you tilt your head back slightly to look down at it.

Keyboard: Place your keyboard so that your upper arms hang vertically, and ensure it is at an acceptable height. Use a specially designed ergonomic keyboard if possible to get the position right. Otherwise, make use of tools like wrist rests.

Mouse and Telephone: Keep the computer mouse as close as possible to the keyboard, and the phone within easy reach, so that you can use it without drastically altering the position of your hands and arms.

Posture:

Once your workstation is fully set up and you are ready to use it, you must be aware of correct posture. Adjust your chair height so that your feet are flat on the floor, which will keep your knees and torso at roughly the same height. Try also to keep your wrists and arms steady (as mentioned above). Finally, change your posture regularly, as sitting in the same position for too long is unhealthy. Start by sitting upright for a period; then sit slightly reclined, and then slightly declined, and then repeat the cycle. Don’t allow yourself to become too uncomfortable in any one posture.

Employer Responsibilities and Taking Breaks:

According to the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974, employers are duty-bound to provide adequate workstations to suit the needs of their employees’ working hours and responsibilities. They are also required to provide adequate space for rest breaks, as well as the time within the working day for staff to take them.

And as an employee, what should you do with your breaks? When should you take them? You should always at the very least take a 20-minute break in the middle of the day to rest and recharge yourself with something nutritious to eat, and time to think about non-work-related matters. And if your working conditions permit, you should also take a little time every couple of hours to leave your workstation, have a walk around, eat a snack or drink some water. All this will contribute to healthy circulation, improved concentration and overall greater productivity.

The serviced offices at Carrwood Park are fitted out with high-quality and compliant furniture meeting all the above requirements. Taking on serviced office space here removes the worry of having to meet the requirements yourself! Share your thoughts with us – have all your working environments been adequately prepared as detailed above?