Humanscale, the leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance ergonomic products, has released a whitepaper, “Hybrid Hurdles: The Complex Reality of Post-Pandemic Office Ergonomics.” Authored by Dr. Alan Hedge, a distinguished Professor Emeritus at Cornell University, the paper presents comprehensive research that highlights how the dynamics of workspaces have shifted post-pandemic, particularly emphasizing some of the ergonomic challenges faced by a workforce that’s no longer tethered to a single location.
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Office occupancy rates, once soaring above 90%, have landed at a modest 50% of what it once was, with 44.5% of respondents working from two different locations, the majority being between the home and office, with a growing number of people working from ‘third places’ like cafés, hotel lobbies, transit, and coworking spaces to name a few.
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Remote workers’ setups are not optimized for healthy work, with 22.9% of respondents using a laptop as their sole device without any external screen.
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Only half of remote workers work in a dedicated home office, with large portions working in living rooms, at kitchen tables, or from a sofa, with little to no ergonomic support.
In response to these insights, Humanscale is championing “everywhere ergonomics,” a concept that extends ergonomic considerations beyond traditional work settings to wherever work happens. The whitepaper sheds light on the drastic changes in workplace dynamics, revealing that most hybrid workers are not just working from home but from various locations that often do not offer the proper ergonomic support. “Most hybrid workers work at two or more locations, but without ergonomic designs, these can be hotbeds of injury risks,” warns Dr. Alan Hedge. The study underscores the need for businesses to adapt to this shift by providing ergonomic solutions that cater to a variety of work environments. Dr. Hedge’s pivotal research, illustrated by robust data, paints a picture of a workforce that is as varied in its locations as it is in its ergonomic needs.
Through this research, Dr. Hedge, in collaboration with Humanscale, suggests a new approach to workplace design that goes beyond traditional office or home settings. “It is essential to consider ergonomic design not only in the office and home but also across today’s diverse work settings,” states Dr. Hedge. This holistic view reflects Humanscale’s commitment to ergonomics, wherever work happens.
This whitepaper is a call to action for businesses to become more flexible in their support of the workforce, and a manifestation of Humanscale’s commitment to leading ergonomic innovation. It underscores the brand’s dedication to responding to trends, anticipating, and shaping the future of work through continuous research and a deep understanding of the human element in workspaces.
ABOUT HUMANSCALE
Humanscale is the leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance ergonomic products that improve the health and comfort of work life. Through leveraging new technology in functional yet minimal designs, Humanscale transforms traditional offices into active, intelligent workspaces.
Guided by the core philosophy that good design achieves more with less, Humanscale is committed to designing with the health of both consumers and the planet in mind. Humanscale has 26 products, which represent a majority of sales, certified by the International Living Future Institute’s Living Product Challenge (LPC) as planet positive. Humanscale has pioneered the use of transparency labels for its products, which allows consumers to make thoughtful decisions about the products they choose.
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