If your company's chairs and workstations are not adjustable enough to accommodte 90% of your employees then your company is losing calls, reducing customer satsifaction and paying out more for medical costs, workman's compensation insurance and lost days. What you should be looking for is furniture that will accommodate the range - 5th percentile female to the 95th percentile male; that is, a 5-foot-1-inch woman to a 6-foot-3-inch male. Buying furniture that accommodates the range and quickly adjusts to each employee will give the greatest return for the investment. Seating and workstation purchasing decisions should be based on specifications and adjustments that promote comfort, not discomfort.

Options abound in chair and workstation selections as does price ranges. But do not be fooled into thinking a few adjustments will allow your employees to work in comfort, be friendly and eliminate repetitive injuries. When shopping for furniture, ask yourself what the features are addressing, and, more importantly, what they are not addressing. Will new medical problems arise? Will customer service quality and productivity be reduced? How fast will the furniture pay of itself, or will more costs be incurred as a result of injury and lost days?

Ergonomic Chairs:

The chair is the most critical piece of furniture in a call center because it contacts the body and supports most of the bodgy weight at the butlocks, back, and forearm areas. Therefore, good ergonomic chairs are a necessity. Buyers should consider the following adjustments to accommodate the size range of employees.

Seat height - accommodates different statures and provides a 2 to 4 inch space for the popliteal ara ( soft tissue area behind the knee), this being the best approximation of the proper seat height

Seat angle - provides various trunk-thigh postural angles and reduces pressure in the lower back

Backrest height - gives overall support to the samll of the back (the lumbar area);

Backrest depth - accommodates and provides support for varying leg lengths, provides back support for small employess because they sit forward inthe chair, and allows taller employees to seat deeper in the seat pan;

Backrest angle - allows for position changes throughout the day;

Lumbar - provides for individualized lumbar support

Arm height - supports the arm and takes pressure off the neck and shoulder areas;

Armest direction - provides complete forearm support

If on or more of these adjustments is missing, muscle, tendon and ligament stress can compress nerves and cause pain. Each adjustment is necessary to prevent stress that can develop from sitting in a chair for extended periods of time. Finally, look for the following specifications to adjust to the anthropometric needs of the employee and, therefore, optimize productivity.

*SEAT HEIGHT: 15" - 21" *SEAT WIDTH: 17.7" *SEAT DEPTH: minimun 15" - 17", exceeding 16" requires relief to the back of the knee such as waterfall front edge *SEAT ANGLE ADJUSTMENT: 15 - + 8 *BACKREST HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT: 6" - 10" *BACKRESTDEPTH ADJUSTMENT: 14.5" - 19.5" *BACKREST ANGLE ADJUSTMENT: 15 - + 8 *ARMREST HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT: 6.92" - 10.97" *ARMREST WIDTH ADJUSTMENT: 8.11" *ARMREST ROTATION: 360 degree

Workstations:

The call center workstation is a different matter. There are non-adjustablee sitting workstations, adjustable sitting workstations and sit-stand workstations.

The non adjustable sitting workstation is "designed for the average person"; however, no one persson is average. With the non adjustable workstation, the person adjsuts to the workstation as best he or she can, instead of the workstation adjusting to the person. Supplementing this type of workstation with accessories can accommodates the range. As an example, the samller employee is brought up to a towering worksurface by the ergonomic chair and a footrest is put under their feet.

With non adjustable workstations, accessories are a must, including items such as wristrest/palmrests and adjustable keyboard trays. Unfortunately, the needs of the entire range may not be meet even after modifying the non adjustable workstation.

Depending on the limitations of the workstation and accessories, a percentage of the employees will be in a physically stressed position. "Designed for the average person" means everyone usingthe design is uncomfortable.

Unlike the non adjustable station, the adjustable workstation accommodated the entire range, and the workstation is able to adjust to reach person. Separate adjustable work surfaces, on efor the monitor and one for the keyboard / work area add flexibility to meet the needs of multiple-shift users better than one working surface. This feature allows correct monitor positioning for each employee and prevnts neck and hsoulder pain. The adjustable keyboard height allows for a vareity of elbow rests heights while maintaining the fingers on home row keys. Make sure the adjustments can be made easily and quickly; otherwise, employees will not use them.

Another type of owrkstation that not only meets anthropometric needs, but physiological needs as well, is the sit-stand workstation. Why is standing important? In the nut shell, a company realized the benefits of ergonomic furniture on an upward economic scale. As more anthropometric requirements and physiological needs are met, higher productivity levels are realized.

The sitting-standing concept is recommended to encourage physical movement and posture changes because both increase circulation. Movement relieves the fatigue associated with sedentary jobs by circulating lactic acid out and transporting oxygen and nutrients into discs, muscles, tendons and ligament systems. Standing allows stretching and movement of muscle systems that increases metabolism and provides mental and physical stress relief. n combination, sitting and standing allows easier, safer and more efficient postural changes. Lastly, standing and making easy chair and workstation adjustments burn more calories and reduce the chances of producing the feed lot syndrome "sit, eat, sit, eat, sit, sleep"

Let's analyze the call center situation in relationship of an employee to the furniture. According to the mTM Association for Research and Standards (1985), an employee that uses their computer greater than four hours per day, inputs information and leaves their seat less than once an hour is considered to be at high ergonomic risk of discomfort. An United Parcel Service (UPS) "the fully adjustable sit-stand workstation with an adjustable chair was specified for the high risk jobs, typically those employees using the telephone and / or computer for the majority of their day."

A survey of UPS data entry employees, conducted prior to, during and after installation of sit-stand workstations, showed that they "adjusted their workstatons to a standing position an average of 3.6 times per day. On an average day, employees spend 23% of their time standing."

Body part discomfort, injury/illness rates, productivity, and absentecism were tracked. Body parts discomfort ratings improved by over 26% following the office enhancements. The number of work-related injury / illnesses decreased by 28% and lost-time occurrences decreased by 82%. The cost associated with these occurrences decreased by 95%. One department demonstrated significant improvements in productivity (over 17%) relative to another site without the new equipment. This level of improvement is above and beyond that attributed to system changes.

Thes figures not only reflect the employee comfort or lack of discomfort but their awareness of their new control over their own wellness. "Employees have provided very positive feedback about the sit-stand workstations. They appreciate the ability that they have to adjust the workstation to meet their specific needs and enjoy the opportunity to stand."

The following specifications will help to ensure that you are buying for them to increase productivity and reduce costs in the long term.

*Workstation Height for Sitting and Standing: For the 5th female: 19" For the 95th male: 45.13" Worksurface height range of adjustment: 19" - 45.13" *Worksurface Thickness: less than 1.5" *Workstation Depth: Minimum - 28.33" Maximun - 44.57" (this may cause problems because the forward functional reach of a 5th percentile female is 26.64", and a 95th percentile male is 34.13" *Workstation Width: 46" *Monitor Height Range of Adjustments: 40.78" = 68.62" *Lighting: recommended 200 - 500 lux *Acoustic Noise: recommended 56 - 66 decibles *Temperature: recommended 68 - 78 degree F

What message is your call center sending?

Employees will not increase productivity if their "normal aches and pains" increase from 8 hours in a chair and at a workstation that does not fit their anthropometric needs. An excellent example is the comparison a fast food restaurant's seating and a hotel restaurant and bar's seating. Fast food restaruants are designed to promote a high customer turnover, you eat... you drink... your butt hurts... you leave. But at the hotel restaurant and bar, you have a soft place to rest your forearm, a footrail and soft cushioned chairs and couches that you never want to leave. The message their sending, "Stay and partake."

What message are your employees getting? Discomfort equated to poor performance, reducted productivity and eventually leads to costly medical conditions. Pay now or pay later!