Ergonomics is “an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely.” Green ergonomics is an important burgeoning field of study that combines research of the efficiency and safety of your team, while balancing those priorities with the environmental mandates set for your office.
As many government offices are looked at to be leaders on environmental sustainability in the workplace, it makes sense green ergonomics should be a part of that leadership.
Here are some tips for embracing green ergonomic practices in your workplace.
Green Ergonomics in Lighting
Ergonomics research has long determined lighting has a big impact on an employee’s wellbeing and efficiency. But, as an environmentally conscious agency, you’re trying to reduce the amount of electricity your office uses, not increase it.
So, natural lighting is your friend. Use it whenever possible. Try to design your office space on your next move so natural light finds its way into the office with as little resistance as possible. Embracing some of the tenets of the open office can help with this.
For all other artificial lighting, try to secure environmentally friendly lightbulbs that last longer and use less energy. Try to design the office lighting with conservation of energy in mind. Plan what lighting can be the most beneficial to employees while remaining the least wasteful. Consider looking into a lighting system that has absence detection, meaning if an employee forgets to turn off the lights and leaves a room, the lights can detect the absence of movement and dim, and eventually turn off.
We All Need a Little Support
Sitting is the new smoking: if you are trying to design an office that agrees with ergonomic principles, finding the healthiest way for employees to sit and work should be a priority.
Employees doing desk work for extended periods of time need chairs with adjustable seats and backs, with good lumbar support. A good office chair should allow employees to sit comfortably with their legs at a ninety-degree angle.
As for thinking green when it comes to good office chairs, Envirotech offers remanufactured and refurbished office chairs from top brands. We’ve all experienced the difference a cheap office chair versus a top-of-the-line one can have on your back.
Envirotech offers those same never-go-back-to-the-old-kind of office chairs but at greatly reduced prices, because not all the parts are completely new. You can enjoy better physical and mental health while helping environmental sustainability, because remanufactured and refurbished office chairs avoid using new resources and help to conserve waste.
References:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ergonomics
http://www.helvar.com/en/solutions/lighting-control-sensors/lighting-control-sensor-concepts/
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/the-dangers-of-sitting