Now look, it is easy to assume that desk jobs are really not that physically demanding and that the furniture we use only serves a functional purpose. We know what you’re thinking, you won’t need that much stamina or movement sat behind a desk, but even though these type of jobs seem innocuous, the reality is that they can have a continuous and substantial effect on your body.
If our body positions throughout the day are not thought about carefully it can result in back pains, aches and even more serious issues down the road. So, for this reason alone, when it comes to designing office layout for our staff, it is a must to consider the comfort of our team and the fact that it does actually play a large role in the productiveness, innovation and satisfaction of the workplace. It always pays to have a happy and healthy team, right?
Careful How You Sit
We know this is a bit out there, but we consider sitting as the new smoking. We have heard the dangers of smoking and that a cigarette is an addictive product that can cause illness and death, but have you heard about the dangers of sitting?
Sitting for prolonged periods of time is definitely bad for your health, but it is a habit that office workers will reluctantly get into, due to the nature and design of our workplace. It is proven that sitting for a long amount of time can cause heart disease, diabetes and even cancer, with the addition of back problems, carpal tunnel syndrome and many other strain injuries that can make a normal workday difficult, uncomfortable and painful!
But, if you do want to reduce the amount you sit whilst improving your health at the same time then listen carefully. It’s all about posture! Sitting with good posture can help prevent back pain and other health problems, whilst also contributing to improved moods and energy levels.
Inactive Lifestyles Are Hard On Your Back
As the saying goes, we spend a third of our lives working. But with this, it is imperative that our workdays are as enjoyable and painless as possible. However, the truth is for the majority of us, sitting at a desk does take a toll on our backs. Back pain is certain to occur in the UK, with 1 in 6 people (16.9%) in England have back, including all ages and all causes of it too. The commonness varies across local authorities in England, ranging from 11.8% to 21.4%. If you want to combat these problems and be more comfortable, there are several ways to do this, including:
- Good posture: Practice sitting up straight with your head up, shoulders back and feet flat on the floor (or even a footrest if you have access to one).
- Physical activity breaks: Stand up and stretch it all out at different times in the day. You should also think about taking short walking breaks between tasks or at lunch, pace down the hallway or even get some fresh outside, anything!
- A better chair: You can even try replacing it entirely with an exercise ball – this would help strengthen core muscles and improve balance while providing excellent lumbar support.
Moving is in Our DNA
Humans were born to move, that’s a fact. Actually, we have been moving constantly for the most part of our evolutionary history. We are designed to be active and mobile. For example, the human spine is meant to move in all kinds of directions – so it was made for sitting style and being idle in an office chair everyday. Not moving can lead to many health problems, as we touched on before, but that gives you more of an incentive to keep moving all throughout the day.
Even if you have a standing desk it can help, with it being proven to help with weight loss, reducing lower back pain and alleviate circulatory disorders, whilst also increasing our overall health and well-being. In the office environment, we sometimes forget how much time we spend at our desk, because it just comes natural once we get into the swing of things. But, the fact is that for health reasons, we need to get up, move and stretch every once in a while, it won’t hurt to do so, will it? So, while standing at desks can be beneficial, it isn’t necessary healthier than sitting if there’s an absence of moving.
Employees are looking for an environment that’s designed to naturally elevate them – and the business too. So, yes, you can actually have it all, but it just takes a little bit of research to find the furniture and design that will bring it all together for your business. Studies have shown us that well-thought out and designed workspaces lead to more innovative ideas and better productivity. This does make sense, but there’s a certain energy that is created when people are in comfortable surroundings. So, if your office is feeling a bit stale, and with the massive “return to the office” time that we are in, you might want to consider some changes today.
Have you found this interesting to read? Was it helpful? Well Officio are here to help with all of your office needs. Visit our very own showcase to explore what offices spaces to rent we provide, or if you’d like contact one of our team on 020 3053 3882 for more information.