The Office of National Statistics (ONS), has announced that 31 million days were lost due to back, neck or muscle pain in 2013. Their annual survey also concluded that musculoskeletal (MSK) problems were the biggest cause of prolonged absence. This is no surprise to us at DSE Solutions and we fully understand how difficult it is for companies to get their employees take how they sit seriously, but try they must! Poor posture is not only biggest cause of acute back and neck pain but also of workplace stress, with over 40% of all employees admitting that they can feel stressed whilst using their computer every day. The British Chriopratcic Society is now getting behind the need for good workplace practices with their own proactive steps to improve posture.
To help improve employee comfort and reduce stress when using a computer just do the following;
1. Have a good DSE (Display Screen Equipment) policy that both management and staff understand. (We can write this for you free of charge)
2. Select someone who is happy to manage and be responsible for this policy. This is not necessarily a fulltime job but it will need to be someone who is well organised, has flexibility within their responsibilities and communicates well.
3. Provide DSE Assessor training for this person so that they fully understand what they need to do and how to manage the process. This will also show them how much help they will need, the larger the company the more help they will need from line managers etc. (we can provide this training for you)
4. Give this person a slot in your management meetings so that the importance of your DSE policy is recognised and awareness improves.
5. Ensure this person has your support to manage the policy properly and also allow them to be creative in how they communicate information/awareness to your employees.
Following these simple steps will make a huge difference to your working environment. Productivity will improve and lost working days will dramatically reduce.
