Many employees have been working from home for two months or more now. And when this happened in March, no timeline was set for how long it might last. There was no time to consider and plan for their at-home workstations. And, that can impact employees' physical health.

A workstation is about more than the tools to do the job. It's about the proper setup and positioning—the ergonomics of the space. Fitting the tasks and tools to the person is essential to overall health and well-being.

Not every home has a designated office space, but no matter where you work, setting your space up for success is critical. That includes an understanding of ergonomics to maximize comfort, while still allowing the ability to work anywhere in your home. While ergonomics probably wasn't a top priority at first, there is no time like the present to ensure employees' workspaces fit them.

Proper form and placement are essential to avoid employee injuries, even at home. Whether they're using a card table, laundry basket stacked on top of a table, or a legit standing workstation, it's about making the most of what you have to ensure safety, comfort, and productivity. Because at the end of the day, there is still work to be done.

Sharing information about what a functional workspace looks like and why it matters puts the well-being of employees first. And they want to know that you care. It also helps to minimize employee injuries—and that's just good business.

These tips will help set your employees up to succeed no matter where they are working or what their workspace looks like.

Best practices for fitting the desk to the worker

At home, it's often necessary to work with what is available. Whether using a folding chair, straight-backed dining chair, bar stool, or fit ball, focus on these important elements:

Seat height
Seat depth
Back support
Armrests

Position the seat at hip-level or slightly higher than the knees. There should be some space between the backs of the knees and the front edge of the seat. At the very least, the backrest should provide upright torso and comfortable lumbar support. Feet should be fully supported on the floor or footrest. If using a bar stool and placing your feet on a rung, be sure to change positions often to limit localized soft tissue compression on the soles of the feet.

What about the shoulders? Your shoulders should be relaxed with your upper arms hanging loosely at your sides. Keep your shoulders and upper arms relaxed even when using armrests. Some chairs have fixed, or non-adjustable armrests. If the armrests do not support you in a balanced posture, remove them if possible.

The placement of the keyboard and mouse are especially important. They should be positioned slightly below elbow level and shoulder distance apart. When setting up the tools within your space, placement should support approximately a 90-degree angle in your elbows and allow you to work without bending your wrists.

When the fit isn't right, it's time to improvise. If you find your desk or table is too high relative to your seated posture, try placing pillows on the chair seat to raise your body higher. And don't forget about your feet. You may need a makeshift footrest to maintain hip and knee alignment.

Placement is important for the monitor, too. A single monitor should be as far away as visually comfortable and tilted back no more than 20 degrees. Tilting further could result in a glare from any overhead lights. Technology, including the monitor and keyboard, should align with the center of the body; your wrists should not be bent.

Accounting for dual monitors

If you have two monitors, consider how you use each before placing them on your desk. If you have a primary monitor, placement of that monitor should align with the center of the body, and the second monitor is offset to the side. But what if you use both monitors equally? They should be positioned with the monitors meeting at a point aligned with the center of the body.

The top of visual tasks should be at, or slightly below, eye level. This ensures proper head alignment and prevents tilting your head up or down in order to see the screen.

Lastly, breaks matter when spending your day looking at a screen. Did you know that we tend to blink less frequently when viewing a monitor? So, take frequent and short vision breaks. The 20/20 rule is helpful here: every 20 minutes focus on something in the distance for 20 seconds. And more is always better.

Best practices for the at-home standing workstation

Standing workstations offer a welcome change of pace during the workday. But they also require an adjustment period. Gradually increase time spent standing, working up to the optimal ratio of 20 minutes sitting, 8 minutes standing and 2 minutes of walking around.

The soles of your feet should be fully supported and your knees slightly bent, or one foot slightly in front of the other. Avoid locking your knees.

From the waist up, the same rules for sitting still apply. Keep your shoulders relaxed with your upper arms held loosely at your sides with the keyboard and mouse slightly below elbow level.

If you're not working with an adjustable workstation, a kitchen island or counter can fill the void. Use a box or books to elevate to a more comfortable position if you find the keyboard, mouse, and display are too low.

Lastly, a standing workstation is about balancing time spent sitting, standing, and walking. Focus on what works for you and feels right. Only stand and work for as long as it is comfortable. Maintaining good balanced posture is important. As the workday passes, it's easy to forget about posture as you may start to slump. Using a padded mat for standing work is a good idea, but it should be moved out of the way when you return to seated work. Shoes matter, too. Supportive shoes are important when standing to work, like in other daily activities.

Beware of the warning signs

Your office workspace likely looks nothing like your workstation at home. Especially if employees are new to working-from-home. Employees may experience minor muscle soreness and tension simply because their at-home workstation is different than what they are used to. This soreness and tension should be temporary, but if it persists or gets worse, it may be a sign that something isn't right. It might also be a sign to take more breaks or adjust working hours. Try to identify what is causing the discomfort and make adjustments to help alleviate.

While employees probably didn't imagine working from home for an indefinite period of time, it's not too late to make changes for the better. You want to set up your employees for success and whatever the future holds. Plus, no one wants to deal with a work-related injury, especially during a pandemic. Proactively work with employees to evaluate their workspace setup. Because a functional and ergonomically designed workspace will make for a more productive and enjoyable workday. And that means happier AND healthier employees.

Phil Beedle is program manager at HealthFitness. Phil brings more than 20 years of experience to his role as Program Manager and is responsible for supporting the office ergonomics programs of several technology and energy clients. His background includes a graduate degree in exercise science, office ergonomics program development, customer engagement, and delivery of professional continuing education.

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Ergonomics best practices for happier and healthier employees working from home

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