Research shows staff spend an average of 67 days each year just sitting at a desk
Anne Corder warns about the potential dangers of sitting at a desk for too long. - Credit: Archant
A third of employees have had at least one day off sick in the last year, according to the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) – with almost half of workers claiming their problems are due to spending long periods of time sitting at their desks.
Peterborough-based Anne Corder Recruitment, which is seeing an increasing number of inquiries from the Huntingdon area, has some advice which could benefit both company bosses and their staff.
“The suggestion that office working Brits spend the equivalent of 67 days a year sitting at their desk is quite staggering,” said Anne.
“With this in mind, there is certainly a case for employers to encourage their staff to move around more and take regular breaks during the working day.
“There are also a number of practical solutions which employers can introduce; including offering staff a desk assessment, ergonomic chairs or laptop stands where suitable.”
Tips for sitting properly at your desk and some chair ‘know-how’:
- Make sure your head is balanced and not leaning forward.
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- Ideally your forearms are parallel to the desk.
- Your screen should be approximately arm’s length from you.
- Sit back in your chair ensuring good support.
- The top of your screen should be about eye level.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.
- Hips should be the same level or higher than the knees.
Anne (pictured) added: “Poor posture can affect almost every part of the body, and it also common to get pains in the elbow or wrist joints simply as a result of not sitting properly.
“This can lead to repetitive strain injury, and hunched shoulders can also cause neck pain and even headaches.
“No-one should feel they need to be confined to sitting at their desk all day at the expense of their health. It is in employers’ interests to offer proactive help and advice to protect the health of their employees.
“There are many simple things workers can do to stay active during the 9 to 5. This could start with something as simple as sipping on a small glass of water and standing up to refill it each time its empty or walking up and down the stairs.”
