One of the jobs we do for many of our clients is setting up new workstations. This might be for a new member of staff, or for everyone when a business relocates. As we all spend a lot of time in front of a computer we’ve learned the hard way how painful it can be when your set up isn’t right.
Everyone’s comfort levels are different, but these are our top 5 tips.
1: More is more!
If you’re deskbound for most of the time, more than one screen will make working much easier. If you’re lucky to have a super-sized screen, like one of the big curved screens or an extra large screen (like the 35” one on my desk), you may not need a second screen, but that depends on the kind of work you are doing.
One of our clients had a huge planner on the wall beside his desk and wanted to go digital with the planner. But a normal screen just wasn’t big enough. We solved the problem by integrating a 55” plasma TV into his set up – alongside his two other screens.
2: Avoid twisting
Set up your screen(s) at eye level in front of you. If you have two screens put them close together so your eye can track from one to the other without turning your head.
The keyboard should be square to your hands at a comfortable height.
That might seem obvious – until you take a look around some workplaces and see people with the keyboard off to one side. Even small movements can result in aches and pains in the neck and shoulders or arms.
3: Get a comfortable chair
Some chairs look great, but aren’t comfortable for long periods. Or the blurb promises back support, but doesn’t mention how hard on the posterior they are! It’s worth paying a bit more to avoid long-term work-related injuries.
If you’re spending a lot of time in that chair, consider a gaming chair or equivalent.
It’s good advice to get up and walk around for 5 minutes every hour.
4: Stand up
I’ve got a sit/stand desk that is electrically operated to rise up so that I can work standing up. I find this really useful when I’m working on code as you’re less likely to hunch over. So the flexibility of a sit/stand desk can make a real difference to coders, data entry people and writers who spend all day tapping away at their keyboard.
Also, for online calls, you sound more confident when you’re standing up, the tone of your voice changes and people pay more attention!
5: Make the right connections
Many people now use a laptop and simply log into the office system when they arrive at work. These can be connected via the Wifi, but ideally they should have a more stable connection through a docking station. This makes the connections more reliable and it’s more efficient to have a docking station so that the member of staff can work on a bigger screen, with a full size keyboard and separate mouse.
It’s much cheaper to replace a separate Wifi keyboard or mouse, than to replace a laptop keyboard, it’s also much more efficient to work on.
If you’re really keen to reduce repetitive stress injuries, a trackball mouse with a collar for scrolling and/or a mouse mat with a gel cushion for the wrist can make a real difference.
And, if a team member is going to spend a lot of time on the phone, equip them with a wireless headset that blocks out background noise and improves concentration.
