Is Working from Home Good for your Health?
Physical Health: For upon |Back in March 2020 when the country went into lockdown and we were asked to work from home, it was all a bit of a novelty. Working in our pajamas, walking a few steps to our desks, and watching television over lunch all felt incredibly indulgent. And even now, many of us report that ditching the office commute has allowed more time for morning meditation, lunchtime workouts, and bath time with the kids. But a year on, with the novelty well and truly worn off, what are the negative effects we’re experiencing after so long working from home? No win no fee claim specialists, National Accident Helpline, surveyed 1,000 people to find out the impact it’s had on their physical health.
Where We’re Working
The research found that many of us have downgraded our working space. Gone are the luxuries of ergonomic office chairs, air conditioning, and desktop computers – and as a result, a whopping 48% of us have suffered an accident or injury while working from home. And where we’re setting up an office in our homes is having an effect on our physical health.
Only 1 in 5 – just 19% – of us have a separate home office to work from. Instead, 36% are set up in their living room, while 18% are doing their job from their bedroom. The study also found that 14% of us work from our dining room, 10% from the kitchen, and fortunately just 4% have their desk in the hallway.
Injuries at Home
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It comes as a little surprise that 70% of those fortunate workers who have their own home office have suffered no injuries at all after a year. At the other end of the scale, 89% of people working from the hallway reported an injury of some kind.
Many of us just aren’t properly set up to do our job from home – and this is causing injuries. The most common is back pain, with 1 in 4 workers – that’s 27% – complaining of such an ailment. Meanwhile, 18% have suffered eye strain, 17% neck pain, and 10% repetitive strain injury.
In many companies, there will be proper health and safety guidelines around the set-up of your desk, computer, and chair – guidance that’s difficult to continue with employees now working from home.
It seems chairs are the biggest culprit for causing injuries, with over half of those surveyed blaming them for their pain. Office desks were involved in a quarter of injuries, as were sofas. If you’re working from an ironing board, it’s time to invest in a desk, because 8% of those surveyed suffered injuries from using them as a surface to work from.
While home working might provide many benefits and improve our quality of life in many ways, we need to be careful that it’s not affecting our long-term physical health.
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