Guest Blog: How Ergonomics Can Fuel Small Business Growth

 

Consider this: People that work desk jobs are at a 147% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, 112% higher risk of developing diabetes, and a 49% greater risk of dying prematurely. Sounds pretty scary, so why do small businesses continue to require their employees to sit for hours on end behind a less-than ergonomic desk?

Big businesses are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of ergonomics. Companies, such as Google, Facebook, Intel and others all invest in ergonomic office furniture for their employees. Why do they do this? Because indirectly it helps fuel their growth.

Ergonomic furniture provides a way for people to work on a computer, behind a desk, or on the phone in a way that supports how the human body was designed to work.

For example, prolonged sitting causes electrical muscle activity in the legs to shut off, it reduces the human body’s ability to process insulin, and it lowers the release of fat burning enzymes. As a result, blood and bad cholesterol wind up in our blood streams causing fatigue, insulin resistance, blood clots, and other scary health conditions. A stand up desk can change that by giving employees a place to stand and work throughout the day.

But it goes beyond just critical health benefits. Here are a few ways ergonomics in your office impacts your bottom line as a small business:

 

• Crank Up Productivity – When you pay your employees to be on the clock, you want them to perform. To give them the power to do this, providing an adjustable height desk can help them focus better, and in turn, be more productive.
• Boost Creativity – Don’t believe this is true? Just ask Ernest Hemingway. This famous author was well known for writing while standing. When you stand, you breathe better, have better blood flow, and
  as a result, you think clearer.
• Cultivate More Energy – Most desk job workers have been there – that 3 o’clock drain when suddenly you lose focus, energy and the ability to get anything finished. Although you have a lengthy to-do list staring you in the face, you simply cannot seem to muster up the energy to get anything done. When this happens, try standing for a few minutes. Suddenly, you will find that your brain clicks back to life and you have the energy to power through the rest of your workday. Now, imagine if all your employees had that?
• See Fewer Sick Days – When an employee calls in sick, it can set the entire team back in their projects. The health risks associated with sitting for too long can cause people to call in sick more frequently. If you want to reduce your employee’s sick time and give them back their health, ergonomics can help.

Inspiring health in your small business can have a direct impact on your bottom line. With ergonomic office furniture, you can bring your employees back to life by giving them the tools they need to feel and perform their best.

Author Bio: Kimberly is a small business owner that works out of her home. To help her stay alert, she has equipped her home office with a treadmill desk, and other ergonomic furniture. To learn more about the furniture she uses, visit www.thehumansolution.com

We, at Microsoft, provide ‘Talking Business’ to help entrepreneurs and business owners’ succeed. We believe in your ability to innovate and in the ability of technology to help, so to support ‘Talking Business’ we have many resources available for businesses like you. We have an informative newsletter, blog posts by people in the industry, and a community looking to help small business succeed.

Follow us on twitter - @MicrosoftSB, or use the hashtag #TalkingBusiness to find out more information