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Three in four office workers blame desks for sickness: Badly set up desks and chairs cost companies £7bn each year

A study has found that badly set up PC workstations are costing UK bosses £7.2 billion in sick pay.

Ergonomics specialists Fellowes have reported that half of all office workers have said their working environment has caused them some degree of illness, and has had an effect on their home life. Almost 75 per cent have reported ill-health due to poorly equipped desks, and in the region of two thirds of those found themselves having to rely on medication to keep their condition under control.

Worryingly, as many as seven out of ten workers reported back pain, headaches or depression. This led to one fifth of workers skipping fourteen days of work annually. And then there's the one in twenty that quit their jobs due to a ‘sick office'.

For every ten workers, four put in a complaint about a lack of vital desk equipment. Just 19 per cent used a wrist support and just 16 per cent of workers used a specialist back support.

Renowned TV medical expert and GP Dr Sarah Jarvis had this to say:

"The impact of the working environment on office workers' health is all too often overlooked by employers.

"What is very clear from the research is that the way you work and the equipment you use has a major impact, not just on your workplace health, but on your wider health too.

"On a daily basis I see many patients suffering particularly from back pain, and I ask routinely about workplace set-up because I know the consequences of poor posture and spending long periods sitting in the wrong position.

"What's worrying is that we are becoming a nation of ‘self-medicators' to help ease pain, with workers choosing to sit in silence when they should be having conversations with their employers about making sure their workstation is set up to minimise the risk of long term health issues."

The Fellowes study uncovered the issue that office workers grumbled that poorly chosen furniture led to them having to spend time rearranging their desks in order to get comfortable.

Lack of Risk Assessment

A huge 50 per cent of office workers reported that they had not experienced a workstation risk assessment in the last 12 months, despite the fact it is a legal requirement.

In addition to having an effect on their working life, employees reported that their personal interests and activities suffered. 14 per cent had put a pause on sporting activities; 11 per cent had shelved the sport altogether and another 11 per cent had given up interests and hobbies such as gardening.

Louise Shipley of Fellowes commented: "Most of us spend a great deal of time at our desks so we need to think harder about the conditions we're working in - and invest in protecting our health and ultimately, our quality of life.

"Employers have a responsibility to their employees and that includes making sure they can work safely and productively.

"Investing in the right kind of supportive, ergonomic accessories and workspace assessments should be a part of that process to ensure they have a more engaged and healthy workforce."

Do you need some assistance in carrying out workstation risk assessments? Guidance on the regulations surrounding display screen equipment? We're here to help, so please get in touch.

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