Welp MagazineWe’ve all spent the past couple of years getting stuck into our working from home routines. Whether you’re lucky enough to have a purpose built space or have been operating from your kitchen table, are there more risks with our new environment compared to the office?
A recent study by injury claim specialists, National accident helpline, explored how the new normal way of working is affecting us.
What are some of the most common types of injuries?
With many of us having to fashion a working space out of pretty much nothing, there’s no wonder some of us are suffering. Gone are the days of ergonomic desks and chairs – say hello to dining chairs and kitchen islands!
Among the most common working from home injuries is – unsurprisingly – back pain. From the survey, they found that 1 in 4 home workers were suffering! If we’re going to be in this for the long haul, is it time businesses invested in proper equipment for people’s homes?
Some of the other ailments found were eye strain (18%), neck pain (17%) and repetitive strain injury (10%) caused by using things such as a laptop or mouse without following health and safety set up guidance. Let’s face it, none of us were prepared to work from home for so long, but it’s looking like the business landscape has changed for the foreseeable!
Interestingly, the results also found that people working from their hallway were the most likely to suffer from a back injury, with almost half of those asked (46%) saying they’ve had at least one injury. Is it time to transform a spare bedroom or set up in your living room?
How can you avoid these WFH injuries?
With so many injuries to be aware of, it can often be difficult to remember the ways you can avoid them. First things first, speak to your HR department about getting suitable equipment. This might be something as simple as a stand for your laptop to make your screen higher, or even an ergonomic mouse.
You may also want to consider setting up a proper home office space. Whether that’s a dedicated room or even the corner of an existing space, it’s important for both your physical and metal wellbeing to have a working area.
Finally, one of the biggest things you can do, is improving your posture. We often spend the day getting more slumped and slouching over our keyboard. Why not take five minutes every hour to stand up and realign yourself. You’d be surprised how much of a difference it will make!
