Our tips for healthy office work
What is it that really matters when designing an ergonomic office workplace? And what influence does it have on the health and motivation of employees and colleagues? We have summarised our tips for an ergonomic workplace design for you.
Maximum seating comfort
An ergonomic office chair is designed to allow movement and dynamism, as well as to promote a posture that generates well-being over a period of eight hours or more. The seat height of an ergonomic chair should be adjustable and is optimal when the feet rest flat on the floor and there is a 90° to 110° angle between the upper and lower legs. A healthy posture is best achieved with a height-adjustable backrest or a lumbar support that supports the natural curvature of the spine. Office chairs are optionally equipped with adjustable armrests on which your elbows rest loosely without lifting your shoulders.
The office desk
A desk that is used for eight hours or more a day should be adjustable in height between 68 and 76 cm and have a sufficiently large, low-reflection work surface. The tabletop size for permanently used workplaces is at least 160 x 80 cm. The height of the desk is correctly adjusted when there is about 10 cm of space between the thigh and the lower edge of the desk in the sitting position. From an ergonomic point of view, it makes sense to be able to adjust the desk to a standing position in order to ensure dynamism in everyday working life and to promote a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system.
Adjusting the monitor - but how?
When adjusting the monitor, make sure that the displayed characters are sharp, clear and sufficiently large to be visible. Brightness and contrast between characters and background must be easily adjustable and easily adaptable to the environmental conditions. The monitor must be rotatable and tiltable or equipped with a tiltable monitor stand. Monitor size shall be based on the activity being performed by the user and may therefore vary. Monitors should be positioned in the room so that the viewing direction is parallel to the window surfaces and no disturbing reflections occur.
Perfect lighting
Sufficient lighting conditions and a balanced contrast between the screen and its surroundings create a pleasant atmosphere in the office. According to ÖNORM EN 12464-1, illuminance levels of 500 lx must always be ensured in the working area of office and VDU workplaces. To enable a glare-free workplace, it is additionally recommended to install blinds or roller blinds on the windows.
Space for all
In order to provide sufficient space for all employees, it is recommended to keep at least one metre distance between the user-facing edge of the table and other furnishings. The size of the table must be sufficient for the performance of the intended activity and provide space for storing work equipment within easy reach.
