Innovate or perish. Sounds dramatic, doesn’t it?
However, it may not be such a bold statement after all. Innovation is a driving force in cutting edge tech companies, and there’s no reason why all companies, large or small, shouldn’t adopt an attitude of innovation. A big part of being innovative is updating, as you need to always think about how you can change and reform your business for the better.
Your office space is no exemption from this rule. Far from it!
After all, the office floor is where the bulk of work occurs.
Sure, board rooms and brainstorms are all part and parcel of a business as well, but the office is the engine-room, and that engine-room needs to be well oiled and functional. Let’s take a look at some nifty ways that you can re-think your office space.
Ergonomic Desks
The basic definition of ergonomics is that systems should be created with the end user in mind.
And so many office set ups fall rather short of this ideal. You’d be surprised at how often workers end up sitting in front of cramped, too-small desks on uncomfortable chairs, or desks that are set up with poor monitor positioning.
Upgrading your desks is one way to update your office space into an ergonomic productivity powerhouse. A triple monitor arm might sound like overkill at first, but think about it for a second. Especially from a project management perspective. How much time is spent clicking between emails, browsers, applications, spreadsheets and project management systems like Trello.
Now imagine three monitors; one for email, instant messaging and other forms of digital communication. Imagine another monitor for workflow management, and yet another for browsers and research. Imagine the productivity coming from that workstation alone! Now multiply that productivity between how many new desks you can fit out and presto! You’ve got a hell of a lot of productivity from one simple upgrade.
Standing Workstations
Sitting down for prolonged periods of time is bad for you.
The moment you sit and remain still for more than an hour or so, so many negative things happen to your body. You increase your risk of injury, for one. It may seem that back and neck pain comes from heavy lifting or bending but sitting down for too long can cause pain and discomfort just as easily. Consider investing in some standing workstations. You can even get desks that lift up and down at the press of a button, so your workers can spend hours either sitting or standing to work.
Ergonomic Tools
You may also want to invest in ergonomic tools.
Often, repetitive movement such as typing and clicking can cause conditions such as repetitive strain injury to occur. Left untreated and unchecked, these conditions can morph into the more serious carpal tunnel syndrome, which can be debilitating and painful. You can perform some preventative measures by purchasing ergonomic keyboards and mice for your workforce.
Microsoft have a great keyboard and mouse combo called the Sculpt Ergonomic.
Some of your staff may prefer touchpads, trackballs or other mouse replacements, as each person has their own ideal setup. Trial and error can be the best bet here – try a few different set ups and your staff will let you know which is best.
Assess the Chair Situation
If you expect staff to sit and work through the day, they need to be comfortable. Some office chairs are only designed to support a few hours of sitting at a time. You may need to upgrade your chairs to those that are designed to support eight plus hours of sitting.
Your Upgrade Options
You’ve got a few to consider here: standing desks, multiple monitor arms, comfy chairs and ergonomic work tools. Do yourself and your workforce a favour and upgrade your space soon.