COMMENT
FIT FOR WORK
-ulian Sheldrake, Director of 4 Offi ce Furniture, advises on
how to put employees’ health and wellbeing at the forefront
of offi ce design
One of the hottest trends in o ice furniture,
particularly in o ices with a hot-desking
policy, is for sit-stand desks. These are always
the first to be snapped up by the early birds,
or booked in o ices with a reservation policy.
Larger o ices have also seen the introduction of
standing-only desks, which have proved popular
with those who have a history of back problems.
Most of us, however, are unlikely to stand at our
desk all day and probably work in a more traditional
o ice environment. In fact, the average UK worker
spends nine hours sitting down every day. As a
result, choosing the right seat is vital.
The first thing to note is that not all seats are the
same. Most seats, for example, have some padding,
but this varies greatly in depth and quality. Choosing
a chair with the right seat depth can make an
amazing di erence for those experiencing pain or
preventing it in the first place. Equally, choosing a
chair that supports the natural curve of the spine,
together with the head and neck, will make a
significant di erence to how employees feel at the
end of the day.
A recent report by the British Chiropractic
Association (BCA) showed that over a third of British
workers have taken a day o work due to back or
neck pain in the last 12 months. Furthermore, this
pain resulted in an average absence of 12 days. Less
than a quarter of those interviewed had been o ered
advice on how to sit at their desks correctly to
prevent work-related back pain, and only a fi‡ h had
been o ered a desk assessment, ergonomic chairs,
laptop stands or monitor arms.
10 AUGUST 2019
Many tweaks can be made to help reduce the
likelihood of employees experiencing work-related
back pain. One of the most obvious is to ensure that
people have a working environment suited to their
individual needs. A recent study undertaken at the
University of Loughborough and published in the
British Medical Journal found that giving employees
height-adjustable desks resulted in reduced levels
of anxiety, fatigue and back pain, as well as making
them feel more productive and engaged.
ACOUSTIC BOOTHS
For the last 30 years there has been a trend
towards open-plan o ice layouts (also known as
‘collaborative space’). However, the value of this
change is starting to be questioned. Does it really
enhance performance, or does it contribute to more
distraction than genuine discussion? Recent studies
have suggested the e ect on workers’ concentration
could ultimately be impacting on productivity, so
it will be interesting to see if the pendulum swings
back.
One recent innovation designed to alleviate some
of these issues is acoustic booths, for use within
collaborative working areas. Acoustic booths come
in two forms: privacy booths for those working solo,
and booths for small groups which can be made in
all di erent shapes and sizes, semi- or fully enclosed.
These ni‡ y, portable pods are on castors and can
be moved around as and when needed. They also
o er a cheaper and more flexible alternative to
traditional, fixed meeting rooms.
Be mindful, however, that booths vary enormously
in quality and price. You get what you pay for, and
this is reflected in the level of built-in technology in
the acoustic panels. The whole point of these booths
is that you can’t hear what’s going on inside them
– both from a confidentiality and concentration
perspective. Tessellate acoustic panels are a stylish
option, available in hundreds of colours, shapes
and sizes. As well as providing privacy and reducing
low-level noise, they can add vibrancy and colour
to the workplace. There is also the opportunity
to incorporate videoconferencing facilities in a
space where it was previously impossible due to
background noise.
GREEN OFFICES
Among the trends trickling down from high-end
City o ices to the mass market are so-called living
walls. Biophilia, meaning love of nature, focuses
on our innate attraction to nature and natural
processes. Living walls are both beautiful to look at
and contribute to feelings of energy and alertness by
removing carbon dioxide from the air.
Businesses regarded to be at the cutting edge
of workplace design, such as Apple, Google and
Amazon, are investing heavily in biophilic design
elements. The presence of natural features not only
improves worker concentration, engagement and
cognitive ability, but helps to attract and retain sta
in the ongoing war for talent.
Research has shown that incorporating direct
or indirect elements of nature into the built
environment reduces stress, blood pressure levels
and heart rates, while increasing productivity by up
to eight per cent. It also aids creativity, boosts selfreported
rates of wellbeing by up to 13 per cent, and
reduces absenteeism.
Biophilic design can be implemented according
to budget – it doesn’t have to mean spending
thousands on a carefully curated living wall. Simply
investing in some attractive but low-maintenance
pot plants will enhance your o ice environment.
Lighting is another factor known to have a
significant impact on workers’ physical and mental
wellbeing. This goes beyond the functional and
safety aspects of providing enough illumination
to see by; lighting can a ect mood and circadian
rhythms (also known as sleeping patterns), while
poor lighting can cause glare, headaches, eyestrain,
and aches and pains associated with poor body
posture.
LED lighting has seen a huge surge in popularity in
the past 10 years. LEDs o er certain health benefits
compared with other lighting sources as they do
not contain mercury, have lower human toxicity
potential and emit little or no UV. Recent increases
in the luminous e icacy of LEDs have led to similar
or even better energy e iciency compared with
conventional lighting products. The long lifetime
of LEDs o ers additional benefits by reducing
maintenance costs and minimising disruption
associated with relamping in continuously occupied
areas.
ADVICE & OPINION