Many people don’t take too much notice of their posture with the routine everyday things. From sitting in an office chair, staring at a computer screen, necking a phone, carrying your handbag over the same shoulder, driving and carrying kids, to sleeping, your posture comes into play.
Over the years, we all get complacent and don’t mindfully correct our posture. That’s where back and neck pain, chronic pain, musculoskeletal disorders and injuries can become an issue.
If you’re an office worker, you’re in one of the highest risk groups for developing bad posture habits. Have you ever stood up from your desk at the end of a long day, felt super stiff, stretched it out and stumbled to your car without a second thought?
Well, you’re not alone! Over 30% of workplace injuries are musculoskeletal disorders and injuries.
Luckily, employers are becoming more aware of the importance of good posture in the workplace. As the office productivity improves, and there are fewer workplace related sick days when the staff are looked after.
Why do office workers suffer from such bad posture?
Recently coined the ‘Sitting Disease’, sitting for long periods without moving much can lead to spinal and musculoskeletal issues. The reasons are:
- The longer you sit, you’ll start slouching
- Neck strain occurs if your computer monitor isn’t at your correct eye level
- You may cross your ankles while sitting in your chair, which leads to hip misalignment
- Reduced movement means less blood and nutrient flow to your spine
- Continuous sitting increases wear and tear on your spine
- Your chair height may not be correct or set up for your posture
If you’re an office worker, did you relate to these? Everyone (staff and employers) must pay attention to office ergonomics.
The top 7 reasons why employers need to care about posture in their workplace
As an employer, your employees’ health should always be top of mind. Healthy, happy workers lead to a more productive workplace.
- Slumping in a chair all day can lead to depression
- Bad posture (slumping) can lead to digestion and heartburn issues
- Good aligned helps your body work more efficiently
- Back pain can worsen the more prolonged posture is incorrect
- Slumping down in a chair affects your lung capacity, and with reduced oxygen levels come difficulty in thinking
- Poor posture without correction will lead to unhappiness and pain in the workplace, with employees taking time off work
- Bad neck posture can lead to recurring headaches, which lessens productivity and increases sick days
As an employer, make it part of your Occupation Health & Safety to do an ergonomic check of your employee’s workstation. Even little things like adjusting chair and screen height can make a world of difference.
Here are our top 5 favourite tips to improve your posture in an office
- Get up and move! Even if you’re unable to leave your desk, every half an hour, you should stand, stretch or walk for 2 minutes to improve poor posture and slouching. Set a reminder to make sure you move.
- Buy an ergonomic office chair and practice neutral posture. Imagine your spine is straight from head to toe, with your shoulders back and your back flat against your chair (use your lumbar support), your feet flat on the ground (no crossing) and your computer monitor at eye level.
- Use posture-friendly props. Improve your posture with items like a footrest, portable lumbar support (for your office chair and while driving), wearing glasses and having your screen elevated to your eye height to avoid straining your neck.
- Take note of any back or neck pain. When you’re aware of what causes you pain, you can start to take measures to correct it. For example, does your neck hurt after answering phone calls all day?
- If possible, have a sit-stand desk. These desks are the perfect way to allow you to stand up and stretch while still working. Maintain your neutral posture (e.g. don’t slump over your stand-up desk), and you’ll find that the reduced sitting time improves neck pain and lifts your mood.
ANOTHER WAY TO BOOST MORALE IS TO HAVE A CLEAN OFFICE!
At Eco-Green Cleaning, our team are experts at office cleaning; from regular cleaning to carpet and window cleaning, we’re here to help.
A clean office is also crucial to make the workplace refreshing and encouraging for employees. You can also get your employees involved into maintianing the clean workplace with some simple tips.
With employees wanting to feel safe and protected in their workplace, regular cleaning services keeps their environment as germ-free and clean as possible.
For an obligation-free quote, please get in touch with us today.
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