Did you know that a properly set up workstation can have a direct influence on your working conditions, your comfort, your office posture, your productivity, and even your overall well-being?
We’re telling you everything about the ideal office layout, the equipment to prioritize, and how to organize your workstation so you can finally work on a screen without ruining your health.
What is workstation ergonomics?
If you search for "ergonomics" on Wikipedia, you will come across the following definition: "the scientific study of the relationship between humans and their means, methods, and work environments"...
👉 Basically, it's how your working conditions and the design of your workstation can be optimized for your health, your comfort, and also your productivity.
In short, ergonomics—and more specifically ergonomics applied to the workstation—is the discipline that aims to study and adapt a professional environment to the physiological and psychological needs of workers.
The goal: to improve the comfort, safety, and performance of employees by designing and organizing their workspaces in an ergonomic manner.
If you want to simplify it, just think of it like having the ultimate gaming set up to boost your performance in your favorite game!
The risks of a poor workstation layout
Concretely, what are the risks of an ill-adapted workspace?
Well, you should know that the consequences can be numerous, ranging from musculoskeletal disorders to back problems, as well as a wonderful impact on your mental health, or even digital eye strain issues.
🧍♂️ Musculoskeletal disorders
The term musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) refers to "a set of diseases located in or around the joints: wrists, elbows, shoulders, spine, or even knees. These pathologies affect the muscles, tendons and tendon sheaths, nerves, bursae, blood vessels, joints, ligaments, at the periphery of the joints of the upper limbs, the spine, and the lower limbs."
The most well-known MSDs are:
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🤝 the famous carpal tunnel syndrome (which alone accounts for 38% of MSD cases), the result of compression of the median nerve in the wrist, which causes pain, shocks, tingling, and numbness in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers,
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🤷 rotator cuff syndrome (30% of cases): damage to the tendons of the shoulder joint which manifests as pain, and loss of mobility and strength in the arm.
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💪 lateral epicondylitis of the elbow (22% of cases): behind this fancy medical term lies elbow pain that can extend to the outer side of the elbow and forearm.
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🔙 lower back pain or lumbago, which groups together pain in the lower back (7% of MSDs) and can be acute, subacute, or chronic.
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🦵 Some MSDs also affect the lower limbs, such as knee hygroma (2% of MSDs).
We can also include tendonitis in the category of musculoskeletal disorders.
MSDs are mainly caused by the professional environment, and in particular the posture when working in front of a screen.
💡 Good to know: according to Ameli.fr, "in France, musculoskeletal disorders account for 87% of occupational diseases and back pain accounts for 20% of work-related accidents."
👁 Eye strain
This is a great classic of working on a screen: your eyes itch, sting, you suffer from headaches and sometimes even blurred vision and neck pain. Stop looking for the culprit; it is indeed your screen, and you are likely suffering from computer vision syndrome, also known as digital eye strain.
This syndrome is a set of symptoms linked to the prolonged use of screens (phone, computer, tablet...):
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headaches
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blurred or double vision
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dry eyes
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tingling eyes
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general eye fatigue
If you feel several of these signs, BINGO! You’ve hit the jackpot. We advise you to consult a professional to treat your eye strain and to change your habits to establish a healthier relationship with screens. We give you some paths to follow in this article. You can also order blue light blocking glasses to allow your eyes to rest, even at the office!
💡 Good to know: neck pain is often linked to "text neck" syndrome, the name given to the tilting of your neck and the weight felt by your head when you scroll on your phone for long hours.
🧠 Consequences on your mental health
We don’t always think about it, but physical and mental health are closely linked.
You can imagine that if you suffer from chronic pain due to your office setup, you will be less motivated to work, on edge, or even outright stressed. And that’s completely normal!
On a daily basis, your comfort is essential to your well-being, and your work environment must allow you to be in the best physical and mental conditions.
😵💫 Development or worsening of a bad posture
Poor workstation ergonomics can cause you to adopt a bad posture at the office, which itself reinforces the risk of MSDs and other disorders mentioned above: a vicious circle!
But beyond that, a sedentary posture increases the risk of disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia. Hence the importance of breaks and changing positions regularly.
The result of all this: less comfort, more anxiety, and stress at work. It's easier to understand why poor workstation ergonomics often go hand in hand with absenteeism and work-related accidents!
Workstation ergonomics: our advice
When we talk about adapted equipment, we aren't just limited to the work surface: you have to take into consideration everything that can influence your posture and comfort.
🧑💻 Choosing the desk
It's the first thing you think of: an adapted desk to limit the risks of back pain and improve your screen-work comfort. If you are looking for the holy grail of desks for your workstation, here are some clues to help you progress in your quest:
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↔️ Size: Think about everything you will need to set up on your desk (because that is what we are talking about) to be comfortably set up and not end up with an area that is too cramped.
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↕️ Height: A basic principle is to have your forearms parallel to the floor when they are flat on the work surface, forming an angle of about 90 degrees at the elbows. This way, there is no tension in your shoulders or arms! You can even choose a height-adjustable desk (or sit-stand desk) to adjust it perfectly to your needs (this is our preference in the team, and we wouldn't trade it for anything!).
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👉 Essential accessories: storage spaces like drawers or compartments, as well as cable organizers, will make your desk both aesthetic and less cluttered so you can find your way around better. A second benefit: you reduce the risk of tripping over trailing cables!
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✅ Sturdiness and quality: an ergonomic desk is good; an ergonomic AND durable desk is even better!
🪑 A chair worthy of the name
In terms of comfort, the chair is obviously a central element. An ergonomic chair offers both good lumbar support and the possibility of being adjusted in height. The goal to reach: feet that touch the floor with knees at a right angle. Avoid keeping your legs crossed for too long; it's worse for blood circulation!
An interesting alternative is the ball. Not the one for playing, but a quality ergonomic ball or Swiss ball designed for this purpose, which has the advantage of correcting your posture, strengthening your muscles, and naturally relieving tension. We still advise you to test it beforehand, just to be sure it suits you on a daily basis.
🖥 A screen in your line of sight
If you read everywhere that you should raise your computer screen, it’s not for nothing: a screen that is too low (or too high!) will force you to modify the position of your head, neck, and eyes. For a more natural posture, place your screen at eye level, at a distance of about 50 to 70 cm. Also remember to adjust the brightness of your screen and its tilt to improve your visual comfort.
👓 Blue light blocking glasses: for visual comfort
Did you know? You are reading an article on a site specializing in blue light blocking glasses. Intended for a public of professionals who spend a lot of time on screens, the glasses protect you from digital eye strain to keep your eyes healthy. An essential for your workstation, and as a bonus: they look good too!
🕯️ Perfect lighting
Lighting is also important for well-being and morale.
Natural lighting is the best. Avoid placing your desk with your back to a window to reduce annoying reflections on your screen, but don't put it facing the window either if you don't want to be dazzled. The best thing is to install your desk perpendicular to your window if the room allows.
And when the sun goes on strike (or if you work in a basement—our condolences), you can call upon the electricity fairy for help. The ideal is to have main lighting and supplemental lighting (for example, a desk lamp pointed at your screen).
Opt for bulbs producing warm white light (2500 to 3000 Kelvins) to reduce blue light emissions. The light intensity (measured in lux) will depend on your activity: the more precision work you do, the more intense lighting you need. A value of 500 lux is very well suited for office work.
🖱 ⌨️ Mouse and keyboard: don't neglect them!
We mentioned carpal tunnel syndrome earlier: don't forget to pamper your wrists by getting an adapted mouse, keyboard, and mousepad. An ergonomic keyboard has an ideal key tilt to reduce wrist tension, while an ergonomic mouse avoids unnecessary and repetitive movements.
👌 An airy and pleasant space
It sounds unrelated, and yet it's quite logical!
By reducing clutter on your workspace, you can see more clearly and keep what you need within arm's reach. An uncluttered station is always a bonus for comfort and productivity.
While we're at it, also make sure to keep a workspace that is sufficiently comfortable and airy so you can move around and feel good. A small mention that matters: make sure to choose adjustable lighting intensity.
⏸ Regular breaks
Last but not least: get off your screen from time to time! A good way to remember to take breaks at work is to follow the 20/20/20 principle: every 20 minutes, look at a point or an object located about 20 feet (about 6 meters) away for at least 20 seconds. An excellent remedy for eye strain and for your well-being in general.
We also remind you that changing your position regularly is good for your work posture, and your posture in general: static posture is your enemy!
Final word: workstation ergonomics, what you need to know
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Ergonomics is the study of the influence of working conditions on the physical health and well-being of workers. This discipline aims to adapt various parameters so that the workspace corresponds to its user and is as conducive as possible to both their health and productivity.
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The consequences of poor office ergonomics are diverse: the appearance of musculoskeletal disorders, development or worsening of bad posture, eye strain, lower back pain, tendonitis, stress, decreased work performance, and absenteeism are all risks linked to an unoptimized work environment.
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The basics of an ergonomic workstation: a height-adjustable, spacious desk to place everything you use regularly, an adjustable chair with good lumbar support, a raised screen, a mouse and keyboard designed to relieve your wrists, a pleasant workspace, and regular breaks.
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Also think about optimizing your home setup if you want a more comfortable gaming or teleworking space!
