Personalised Screen Height for Laptops to Reduce Backpain and Migraines
Elizabeth Kirk (PhD)
Helping improve productivity and reduce work injury claims by going Beyond the Ergonomics to build the new Self-Care Competencies staff need for Computer-Intensive Work.
POOR LAPTOP SET UP | A Significant Cause of Back Pain and Migraine
Introductions | In today's fast-paced work environment, prioritising self-care for computer-intensive teams is crucial. Supporting your team's well-being enhances productivity and fosters a positive work culture.
This Beyond Ergo Self-Care Newsletter | Is specifically designed to help managers support staff who have transitioned to working from home and are now regularly using laptops.
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DOWNLOAD THE COACHING SHEET | The attached PDF provides all the information and the coaching sheet needed for your next team meeting, making it easy for leaders to share and ensure staff transfer these skills to the workplace.
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Understanding the Significance of These Coaching Sheets |
A staggering 86% of computer users have reported musculoskeletal aches and pain. This figure has only increased with the widespread use of laptops as a primary work tool. In our technology-driven world, employees are grappling with unprecedented levels of stress, physical inactivity, and mental health challenges. The implications for productivity are clear. Particularly for remote workers who lack traditional office-based health and wellness support, these issues can significantly impact their work. By empowering your team to take care of their well-being, you're investing in their productivity.
PROBLEM | Using laptops flat on the work surface contributes significantly to headaches, upper back pain, and stiff necks and, over time, may damage neck vertebrae. Being hunched over a laptop also causes shallow breathing and fatigue. It’s no wonder staff feel uncomfortable, distracted and restless. It’s hard to stay focused when you’re in pain.
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LAPTOP RECOMMENDATIONS | Laptops are quickly becoming the computer of choice in many businesses; however, the recommendation says – Laptops Should Not Be Used Flat On The Work Surface For No More Than 2 Hours A Day!
Laptop Use When Working From Home | This Beyond Ergo Self-Care Snippet focused on Laptops because of the significant increase in aches and musculoskeletal pain when staff started working from home, typically using laptops flat on a work surface. I also felt it was essential to provide flexible and cost-effective management tactics that can be applied in almost any situation.
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领英推荐
STRATEGY – LAPTOP SET UP | Implement Practical, No-Cost Tactics to Reduce Pain
Health, safety and wellbeing strategies create awareness of risks and provide generalised guidelines. In this case, understanding the health risks when working with a laptop flat on the work surface and the ergonomic recommendation that the centre of the screen should be 17.5 degrees below eye level.
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The trouble is that this approach leaves a gap between the knowledge and the ability to translate that knowledge into actionable self-care work skills. In this case, knowing what actions to take when feeling pain and how to define 17.5 degrees below eye level. Strategy-only programs also lack the essential steps of demonstration, rehearsal and review needed to ensure transfer and application as everyday health, safety and wellbeing work skills. These additional training stages are a core feature of all the Beyond Ergo programs and essential for training transfer to realise the best health and financial outcomes.
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TACTICS | It’s All About The How
The following five coaching steps provide a simple framework to introduce, coach and reinforce the essential WHS self-care skills of setting up laptops. All steps are necessary to provide the best chance of new skills transferring into everyday work habits staff that will automatically implement no matter where they work. ?
Building employees’ Personal Protective Behaviours (PPBs) enables them to take greater personal responsibility for health, wellbeing and productivity. This is increasingly important in our internet-of-everything, work-from-anywhere world.
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DOWNLOAD THE COACHING SHEET | The attached PDF provides all the information and the coaching sheet needed for your next team meeting, making it easy for leaders to share and ensure staff transfer these skills to the workplace.
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LAST WORD | Connect With Me
Discover more Personal Protective Behaviours (PPBs) for screen-intensive computer work.
Connect on Facebook @beyondergo | Our relaxed Facebook community provides easy, practical tips on health, wellness, and safety for screen-intensive work environments. ?
Connect on LinkedIn Elizabeth Kirk (PhD) |I love to share ideas and information. Let me know how I can help.
Cheers
Liz
Client Services Coordinator
5 个月It’s so important to address the physical and mental health challenges that come with remote work and provide practical solutions to employees. The coaching sheet is such a great tool for leaders to share at team meetings with their staff. Great share!
We agree with the importance of prioritising self-care for computer-intensive teams, Elizabeth. The coaching sheets and programs are a brilliant idea, especially with the statistics you shared about musculoskeletal aches and pains. Thanks for sharing this information.
Businesses thrive through strong customer relationships. The companies I collaborate with significantly enhance their client account management, driving profitability.
5 个月Great to see a focus on flexible and cost-effective tactics that can be applied in almost any situation - remote work doesn't always mean working from a home office, it could be working at a cafe, on a job site or at the airport lounge. Thanks for sharing.
Empowering Experts with Scalable Learning Programs to Unleash Their Potential and Multiply Their Impact
5 个月Thank you for this insightful post Elizabeth! Prioritizing self-care for remote teams is indeed essential. The Beyond Ergo Self-Care Newsletter provides practical and flexible solutions to help managers support their teams effectively.