Making hybrid work for you
A recent Gallup poll shows that 53% of remote-capable jobs are currently hybrid, an arrangement that means the employee sometimes works remotely, and sometimes works in an on-site office. Even though some large companies are mandating a full return-to-office, it sounds like – for many companies - hybrid work is here to stay, which is great! The same Gallup poll goes on to show that employee engagement is higher for hybrid workers, as is work/life balance and productivity.
Do you work a hybrid schedule? Many of our clients do, and one question that we frequently hear is this: “Where should my ergonomic evaluation take place? At my home office or my on-site office?” Here are three important variables to consider when making this decision.
1. How’s your office currently set up? Does it have adjustability?
In your home office, you have the freedom to have any furniture that you choose. But ergonomic furniture can be expensive, and there are so many different choices that it’s often hard to know what to buy. On the other hand, in your on-site office, you often don’t have a choice, but pretty good furniture has probably been provided for you by your employer.
When it comes to adjustability, there are three types of office furniture:
Non-adjustable furniture
Limited adjustability furniture
Fully adjustable furniture
Most in-office furniture is composed of either fully adjustable furniture or limited adjustability furniture. In-home offices seem to be much more varied, and more likely to mix types, such as a non-adjustable chair paired with a top-of-the-line adjustable desk, or a Herman Miller Aeron chair pulled up to the dining room table.
Why does all of this matter? Well, it’s likely that – unless you’ve already made an investment into fully adjustable furniture for your home office – your home office probably needs the most work. An evaluation that takes place in your home office would allow us to make recommendations for the area that needs it the most. The settings that we recommend can then be applied to your in-office workstation, which (hopefully) already has adjustable features.
2. Which setting are you in the most?
When performing an ergonomic evaluation, we look for certain risk factors. The primary risk factors that we see at the desk are awkward postures, contact stress, prolonged posture, and repetition. All of these risk factors can be exacerbated by the amount of time that you spend in the environment. So that puts a little more weight on the environment that you’re in the most often. If you’re equally uncomfortable in both settings, it might be best to do the evaluation in the setting where you spend the most time.
3. Are you more comfortable in one setting than the other? What’s different about it?
There may already be some clues as to what works for you and what doesn’t. If one of your offices is feeling more comfortable, then it’s probably a better fit for you. In this case, it’s usually better for us to address the less comfortable environment, so that we can make recommendations to change it. During the evaluation, we can discuss what’s different about the two environments, and what’s making you more comfortable or less comfortable.
Keep in mind that these are all legitimate factors, but everyone is going to be a bit different on what they’d prefer. Additionally, you might consider all of these factors, and find that – in your situation – some of them are conflicting. For example, you spend more time in your home office, but you’re less comfortable at your on-site office, or vice versa.
Sure, it’s always possible to make two appointments: one for the onsite office, and one for the at-home office, especially if you have very different needs in each one, or both environments have very limited adjustability, and you’re needing some specific pointers on how to make it all work.
But, ideally, and in most cases, you’ll be able to take your settings and recommendations from one setup, and apply them to your other setup. Your report is going to have recommendations such as your ideal desk height, ideal equipment fit, etc. And one of the most valuable things that your evaluation will include is education on how to make adjustments for yourself. You’ll be able to apply this knowledge to your home office, your on-site office, and even when you travel!
Ready to get more comfortable? Reach out today to schedule an appointment!