Accessibility and Inclusion for All Workspaces
Making workspaces accessible requires an inclusive mindset, with every type of person in mind. This goes for those who not only work in a shared physical environment, but also for those who have a home-based workspace. For those who deal with chronic health challenges or have limited support in their lives, we’re listening. To those who deal with burnout and cannot move the way they want, when they want; this is for you.
Today we’ll be looking at how to provide more effective workspaces and what companies can do to support their employees, both in and out of the office.
Begin with Virtual Ergonomic Assessments
Virtual ergonomic assessments can become company protocol if they aren’t used already. This kind of assessment opens up a dialogue between employer and employee about what risk hazards they’re experiencing or may start experiencing when transitioning from workspaces like working in an office to working from home, or simply existing in any space for a prolonged period of time. It also helps to gauge the short- and long-term effects of musculoskeletal pain or injuries.
If you have no idea where to begin in creating an ergonomic assessment here are some questions and other factors to think about as you’re putting it together.
Look through existing data: Gather as much information as possible about the workplace and workspaces. This can include work-related injuries, complaints, high-risk activities, areas of discomfort, existing furnishings and any other data that can be just as valuable.
Put yourself in the shoes of others: Many challenges that companies face is the gap between leadership/management and the actual operations of completing work itself. One of the ways you can put yourself in the shoes of others is by walking around workspaces to get a “hands-on” experience and write down any problems you encounter as additional data. You can even shadow an employee for a set of hours or ask them to explain how their day-to-day looks. If the work is virtual, you can ask employees what they use in order to stay productive and if they have support for their skeletal structure.
Ask questions to add to your database: The below questions are a great way to start your assessment.
How do you feel when you’re at work?
Do you experience any discomfort or pain in your workspace?
Is there anything you would improve about the environment? If yes, please give examples.
What can increase your energy, productivity, and comfort levels?
Create a list of priorities: When gathering all of the data, information, and feedback look for the common threads across departments and the company as a whole. Is there a specific area that needs more attention? Is it an organizational culture issue? Think about short-term and long-term risk factors of acoustic and thermal comfort, ergonomics, lighting and glare, as well as accessible design.
While these questions and prompts create the overall direction of how to create your ergonomic assessment you can also do your own research to find more tools and we’d be happy to chat through any specific needs when it comes to adapting your space for comfort and wellbeing.
Understand Physical Pain Points Across Your Organization
Did you know that one of the most common health problems worldwide is back pain? This health risk continues to rise and affects more people as the years progress. As presented by the American Chiropractic Association, “most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic—meaning they are not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer”.
Does this make you think of all the hours spent sitting at a desk? It sure did for us.
Understanding the physical pain points, even if it isn’t specifically about back pain, experienced by your employees is crucial to making decisions about the environments and physical culture of a space. The last thing anyone wants is a workspace that’s physically intolerable or inaccessible as time progresses and disrupts the overall well being of a person.
A great way to stay on top of the physical needs of your team, similar to the ergonomic assessment, is to provide additional support based on the feedback given through surveys or active observation. This can be done quarterly to keep an eye on acute issues so they do not develop into something bigger. By understanding each department’s individual needs in the case that tasks vary and physical and mental demands differ from team to team, you are well on your way to bolstering yours and your colleagues’ physical and mental comfort.
A Surplus of Resources Employees Can Come Back to
By providing ergonomic assessments and understanding the physical pain points that are most common, having additional resources and aid for workspaces benefits everyone involved. A wellness library to improve health literacy that’s accessible to all is one of our top recommendations.
Here are some other suggestions as far as fostering a physically and mentally supportive work environment.
Office Space
Include ergonomic chairs that are supportive of the spine, posture, and prevent work-related strains.
Provide adjustable height desks with many health benefits like reducing back pain, increasing productivity levels, and more. Or you can have a standard desk and place an adjustable stand that will be just as effective.
Make a company policy that encourages taking naps and the variety of furnishings needed to support this.
Wellness incentives or resources like a meditation room, 30-minute planned walks, and guided yoga sessions. This is another way to really boost energy and clear up mental clutter during the workday.
Work-From-Home Space
Make it a priority to include an ergonomic assessment for remote workers too. This gives insight into what their environment may be lacking.
Provide a stipend to help improve their workstations when away from a traditional office space. This incentive can help build trust and employees will feel like you truly support their wellbeing. After all, if they’re not feeling well physically, mentally and emotionally, their productivity and loyalty is directly affected.
Have a database of virtual yoga classes, guided meditations, and guided movement breaks broken down from 5 minutes up to an hour. Make this accessible for all employees no matter what their workspaces look like. Consider offering a subsidy for virtual health memberships or counseling.
You might not be able to provide physically adjustable desks for remote workers but you can include a list of affordable hacks of what they can use around their home to make a more comfortable environment to work in. A great hack that we love is an alternative to an adjustable height desk—use a stack of stable books on a desk or table and place your laptop on top.
One Last Note From Us
Physical accessibility and inclusivity are essential to company culture. Overlooking this area when building a physical environment or virtual work has an impact on employee retention, productivity levels, mental health, and overall employee performance. Treat every area of your business with the core values you have set from the very beginning and be mindful of the way you want your employees to feel when doing their work. When everyone feels supported, cared for, and included, we have no doubt that you will see positive impact in action.
