Good ergonomics considers the physical aspects of work as well as wellbeing, the need for satisfaction and morale. This two-part blog looks at promoting safe working practices and boosting wellbeing.
Part 1 - responsibilities for employers
HSE law requires employers to supply guidance and advice when home working. Beyond a temporary measure, the risks associated with using display screen equipment (DSE) must be assessed and controlled. Eight months into the pandemic, working from home can no longer be considered temporary and therefore employers would be expected to make adjustments were ‘reasonable practicable’.
Health & Safety Executive advises employers should have regular discussions with workers to assess employees comfort and any adverse affects they are experiencing. Home workers are more at risk of musculoskeletal discomfort due to their improvised working arrangements. Guidance is to be provided on how to carry out a work station assessment and, on the back of that, provide employees with appropriate equipment. What that equipment is will depend on each organisation and their commitment to reducing and controlling the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD’s) for home workers. Whilst there is no requirement to provide each employee with a full suite of equipment (desk, seat and range of computer peripherals), it is reasonable practicable to provide employees working from home access to basic equipment. For other larger, more expensive items (e.g. ergonomic chairs, desks) advice should be given to workers to enable them to create comfortable working conditions. Whether this is interpreted as allowing workers to take equipment home or giving them a reasonable budget to purchase their own is at each organisation’s discretion. At the very least providing a keyboard, mouse and laptop riser is a cost effective control measure and way to support employees. Where employers decide to make working from home arrangements permanent, explanations on how to carry out workstation ergonomics assessments should be given and workers are to be provided with appropriate equipment and further advice on control measures they can take to lower their risk of poor physical and mental wellbeing.
For international corporations where staff work across time zones, the culture of teams working different hours is already in practice, but for many organisations, employees working varied hours is a newer concept. Employers will significantly benefit from acknowledging and accepting that traditional style 9-5 working hours are not the best-fit for most working from home. Every employee has their own unique working environment and circumstances. Productivity will be optimal if employees are encouraged to identify their own, most suitable working hours. As adults and professionals, trust their judgment! Self-autonomy is empowering and encourages creativity, increased engagement and ownership of tasks and responsibilities. Allowing employees to re-evaluate and adjust their working day may be a change from the norm, but if there’s ever been a time now to fully commit to ‘flexible working’ in its truest form rather than the lip-service and lack lustre promotion it is generally afforded, now is the time. Faced with the adversity and restrictions Covid-19 places on us all, in every part of our lives, it’s time to give flexible working a fair chance. Individual arrangements then should then be communicated with the rest of team or department. Without this kind of strategy in place, unnecessary stress and anxiety has already been widely identified as an issue. Employees are made to feel they should be available all day long, responding to evening emails sent be colleagues and find it difficult to switch off. Whilst being seen actively online may be misconstrued as being productive, this will inevitably lead to burn out. To avoid situations like this, flexible working in your organisation should be promoted as the new norm working culture and should be clearly communicated, promoted with policies updated accordingly.
Employers also should take the pandemic as a catalyst to consider employees mental health and ensure social isolation doesn’t take place. Consider that all employees have very different personalities and that some simply adjust and cope with working from home better than others. The negative mental health impact of loneliness and detachment from social interaction from working at home should not be underestimated. Whilst it is detrimental to individuals, it has a knock-on effect to team performance and morale as a whole. Actively encourage social interactions and activities amongst teams and departments; perhaps by encouraging weekly online team breakfasts or Friday afternoon online cookery class or quiz. Give employees an opportunity to interact beyond emails and Zoom meetings.
A decline in mental and physical health will result in a decline in productivity. Increased absenteeism through illness, stress or burn-out is likely to increase, along with the number of cases of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. These will undoubtably impact your organisations out-put, performance, bottom line and reputation for employee wellbeing. A proactive, supportive and flexible approach to your employees working arrangements will make a significant difference to employee productivity, wellbeing and morale and will set your business apart from your competitors.
The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF) has published a range of comprehensive guidance on Home Working and Staying Healthy to help people working at home. Further information for employers regarding Creating a Safe Workplace during Covid-19 also covers Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing and Working from Home.
If you would benefit from further ergonomic and human factors advice or would like to receive an ergonomic review of your business, contact info@ergoandwellbeing.com .
