Coming to work every day full of energy and without annoying back pain sounds almost too good to be true. But with a few simple adjustments, it doesn't have to be a pipe dream. The key to this lies in the ergonomic design of your workplaces.

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But ergonomics means much more than just comfortable chairs and stylish desks. In this article, you'll learn how to set up an ergonomic workplace and create a work environment that promotes both your team's health and productivity.

What makes an ergonomic workplace stand out?

There is no doubt that an ergonomic workplace is crucial for the well-being and long-term performance of your employees. But what exactly does “ergonomic” mean and how can you ensure that workplaces in your company meet these criteria?

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In principle, an ergonomic workplace is designed to guarantee the health of your employees. The aim is to minimize physical stress and create a pleasant, supportive working environment.

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Although there are regulations that provide precise guidelines for setting up an ergonomic workplace, you should also take into account the individual preferences of your employees. Because an objectively ergonomic workplace is only half the battle: Your team members should also subjectively feel in good hands in their office.

Health benefits of ergonomic workplaces

An ergonomic workplace is essential — no matter what industry you work in. This is because your employees may spend a large part of their everyday life in your company. It is therefore all the more important that the work environment focuses on both the physical and mental health of your employees.

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Because an ergonomic workplace gives you and your employees many benefits that have far-reaching effects — not only on health, but also on your team's productivity.

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This is because ergonomic office equipment supports a healthy posture and reduces stress on the spine. This helps prevent chronic back and neck pain, which is often caused by poor sitting.

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Of course, it's also important that your employees get enough exercise and don't spend hours at their desks. To promote this, height-adjustable desks are a worthwhile investment. They enable employees to switch regularly between sitting and standing — without having to neglect their work. This movement promotes blood flow and prevents discomfort that can occur due to prolonged sitting, such as thrombosis or swelling in the legs.

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Using ergonomic keyboards and mice helps reduce the risk of hand and wrist problems, such as common carpal tunnel syndrome. However, the correct positioning of monitors, keyboards and other work equipment also minimizes muscle and joint stress.

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But the positive effects of an ergonomic workplace on mental health should also not be underestimated. A well-designed workplace can reduce stress by creating a comfortable and supportive work environment — because fewer physical complaints also mean less mental stress.

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Ergonomics shows that your company cares about the well-being of its employees. This not only leads to increased satisfaction and concentration, but also promotes commitment and loyalty to the employer.

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This shows that ergonomic workplaces also have many advantages for you as a company. The right design of your office also makes a significant contribution to preventing accidents at work.

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All in all, an ergonomic workplace contributes to creating a positive and healthy working environment — ergonomics is therefore a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Statutory regulations on ergonomic workplaces

The government has also recognized how important ergonomics are in the workplace and has therefore passed laws to ensure workers' health. If you have any doubts as to whether your office is actually ergonomically furnished, you should take a look at the German Occupational Health and Safety Act (ArbSchG) and the Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV): Here you will find clear regulations on workplace ergonomics.

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In addition, the Technical Rules for Workplaces (ASR) specify important information on the furnishing of ergonomic workplaces and minimum office space, namely in the following places:

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• ASR A1.2 Room dimensions and movement areas
• ASR A1.5/1,2 floors
• ASR A1.8 Traffic Routes
• ASR A3.4 lighting
• ASR A3.5 room temperature

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As you can see, there is much more to an ergonomic workplace than just furnishing your office. However, with the following checklist, you are well equipped to ensure ergonomics in your office:

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Checklist: What should not be missing in an ergonomic workplace

1. Ergonomic office chairs

An ergonomic office chair is at the heart of a healthy workplace, because a good chair promotes the correct sitting posture and thus prevents back problems — so you shouldn't save money here. A high-quality office chair is height-adjustable so that your employees' feet are flat on the ground and their knees are bent at right angles. The backrest should support the lower back and promote the natural curvature of the spine. Adjustable armrests are also a must to relieve shoulders and prevent tension.

2. Ergonomic desks

The Workplace Ordinance provides detailed information on the ideal dimensions of a suitable desk. Ideally, the desk should be set at a height that allows the arms to rest on the table top at right angles without lifting the shoulders.

If you want to do something good for your workforce, you should invest in height-adjustable desks to give your employees the flexibility to work both sitting and standing. Switching between the two positions reduces stress from sitting for long periods of time, promotes blood circulation and prevents posture problems and muscle weakness.

3. The right screen placement

Of course, the correct position of the screen is also an important feature of workplace ergonomics. The monitor should be set up directly in front of the employee, approximately an arm's length away and at eye level, as this position prevents neck tension. The top of the screen should be slightly below eye level so that the gaze is tilted slightly downwards.

Working on a laptop is therefore not recommended — unless you mount the laptop on a stand that raises the screen. But then you should also provide your team with separate keyboards to maintain an ergonomic workplace.

4. The right lighting

Good lighting in the workplace is crucial to minimizing eye strain and creating a pleasant working environment — suitable light sources are essential, especially for long shifts. Natural light is ideal, but can be supplemented by glare-free artificial light sources.

For optimal lighting conditions in the workplace, there is also a guideline that you can follow: the European standard DIN EN 12464-1. Here you will find the ideal lighting levels, which differ depending on the respective work area, workplace and activity.

5. Ergonomic keyboard and mouse

Ergonomic keyboards and mice are also a must in your office to reduce stress on your employees' wrists and arms. A split keyboard can support the natural hand position, but some people find it annoying — it is important to respond to individual wishes.

An ergonomic mouse should be comfortable in the hand and not require unnecessary movements. Wrist supports can help keep wrists in a neutral position, which reduces the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome and other symptoms of overuse.

Ergonomics when working from home

If you work in your company in hybrid working models, your employees are working from home facing the challenge of creating their own ergonomic environment — without the typical office standards. Because there is usually a lack of specially adapted furniture and the right technology that you would otherwise find in the office.

But don't worry, with a few simple adjustments and a conscious workplace design, your employees can also create an ergonomic work environment at home that maintains health in the home office, promotes concentration and supports productivity.

There may be less space when working from home, which is why your employees often have to make do with improvised furniture. That is why it is all the more important that you invest in at least a high-quality, adjustable ergonomic office chair — both for the office and for the home office. A sufficiently large and well-positioned desk also helps to ensure good posture.

In principle, however, all aspects of the checklist for an ergonomic workplace can of course also be converted to your WFH setup. Because the home office should be a place that offers both convenience and functionality so that your teams can work productively and healthily even from home.

Flexopus: the solution for hybrid work

With Flexopus, integrating hybrid work models is child's play. This intelligent desk sharing software offers you the tools to efficiently manage the utilization of your office space and workplaces, which is invaluable, especially in a flexible working environment.

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Thanks to Flexopus, your employees can easily book workstations and meeting rooms and even parking spaces, while keeping an overview of the entire occupancy rate. If you are working to ensure that every resource is used optimally and that no space is left unnecessarily empty, Flexopus is just the thing for you.

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The software helps you plan and reserve resources efficiently, which is essential for hybrid work models. Because if your employees can switch between office and home office as needed, this means increased effort for many companies to ensure that office organization does not become chaos. Flexopus makes it easy and simple for you to keep track of things. Flexopus also provides valuable analyses of the utilization and use of your office space, which you can use cleverly to be able to save costs.