Less than half (45%) of employees are given a workstation risk assessment by their employers, according to research commissioned by office specialists Fellowes.
The research, which interviewed 1,000 employees across the UK, found that one in five respondents had no help or support from their employer in relation to creating a comfortable workspace.
Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they would feel proud to work for an organisation that took employee wellbeing seriously, while 29% would feel more motivated and 28% would be more efficient.
The research also found:
- 70% of respondents reported spending on average 51 minutes per day rearranging their workspace and fidgeting to get comfortable.
- 71% of respondents already suffered from ailments during the past three years, as a direct result of using computers for work.
- Employees reported suffering from ailments such as headaches (32%), tense shoulders (29%), neck ache (28%), eye problems (27%), and sore wrists and arms (25%).
Louise Shipley, senior European marketing manager at Fellowes, said: “With UK employees now spending an average of 6.7 hours a day working at a computer, the concerns of lost productivity and revenue are only going to increase.
“Workstation risk assessments are part of health and safety law, but employers should also educate and encourage employees to highlight problem areas so that any reductions in productivity or time off sick can be rectified.
“Sitting in an ergonomically-correct position can prevent a variety of serious ailments, including back and wrist pain, and ergonomic products are available to help improve certain areas of an employee’s posture.
“Creating an ergonomic workspace is not a complex or expensive undertaking, but it can save an organisation a great deal of money in the long term.”
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Well done for highlighting this important factor! I am an ergonomics consultant and wellbeing therapist assisting employees to remain at work, be it in an office, factory or while driving their car.
In my twenty years’ experience, even if companies do supply an assessment – which could be online, tick-box basic type or otherwise – the key factor is that employees understand why they may need to alter their postures, adjust their equipment or take breaks.
In my experience, 80% of people do not adjust their chair, and many who have been supplied with a new chair still do not understand how to adjust them. People also require face-to-face, telephone advice or direct assessment to ensure they use any new equipment correctly, or can understand what is required to avoid wasted time and resources for all, as well as to keep people working in comfort, but productively.