well building movement V02 ergonomic workstation design

a consultant’s insight into ergonomic workstation design for the WELL building certification Movement V02

What is the WELL Building Standard?

The WELL Certification process for WELL V2 is now widely established as the leading healthy building and wellness real estate standard in the world today. It is essentially a series of guidelines backed by rigorous scientific research, that when taken together, will guide a real estate project, whether new build construction or refurbishment and fit-out, towards a final product that is aligned with human health and wellness.

Sections of the V2 standard are dedicated to Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community & Innovation.

What is WELL consulting?

A WELL AP or WELL consultant is there to assist a project team through the certification process, ensuring maximum points are scored along the way by offering expert advice not just on how to lock-in points but also the principles that lie behind them. As a result, the project has every chance of becoming a model of health and wellness in the built environment.

Additionally, a WELL consultant’s skill set might include wellness interior design, biophilic design, knowledge in healthy buildings and consideration for sustainability / green buildings, a WELL building’s close cousin, as well as expertise in health and fitness, or as WELL like to call it ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Nourishment’.

What feature of a healthy building does Precondition V02 focus on?

Projects here need to show that they have provided ergonomic workstation furniture to all users of the building as well as practical guidance to ensure the furniture is used to maximum effect. Why does this matter? Get this one wrong and a workplace will likely suffer increases in absenteeism and a reduction in worker productivity.

In blue collar jobs especially there are physical risks at play whenever there is a manual component, such as lifting or loading whilst in white collar workplaces extended periods spent hunched over a screen and a keyboard can, if not positioned correctly, equally lead to pain and injury.

There is no one size fits all response to this but in general ergonomics in the workplace are designed to encourage movement during the day while avoiding awkward, uncomfortable positions. Adjustable furniture plays a large part in resolving the issue but education and knowledge sharing has also been deemed crucial by the WELL Certification.

For details on ROI to show to the ever vigilant company CFO, see here.

For a separate article we have written about ergonomic furniture in workplaces designed for worker wellbeing see here.

part 1: Visual ergonomics in WELL standard V02

WELL are looking for adjustable desktop monitors that avoid neck pain, you’ll need monitors arms or specific adjustable stands for this one. Laptops should also have an external keyboard and mouse to allow for more of an upright stance, additionally a stand for the laptop will prevent the head tilting down at an awkward angle and shoulders hunching forward. We want office workers to sit straight and or stand tall whenever possible to save their backs!

part 2: height adjustable work surfaces in well standard V02

A quarter of all workstations need to be height adjustable so that workers can sit or stand at will, whether it be manual or electric adjustment. Additionally, desk extensions can be included if a dedicated sit-stand desk is not an option, for example due to budget restrictions. We have written in more detail about this subject here in relation to WELL feature V07 Active Furnishings. For example, the photo above shows the standing desk set-up in Casa Biofilico, using a standard home office desk with an adjustable extension placed on top of it.

part 3: adjustable office chairs for WELL standard V02

Most new office chairs will come equipped with some form of adjustment options, in our experience providing office furniture for a luxury coworking office interiors project, spending a little extra brings additional ergonomic benefits from a workplace wellness perspective, and the office workers in question will thank you for it eventually!

WELL have some specific criteria here that your WELL Consultant would need to check with the office furniture supplier prior to making an order. If you are looking for options, we recommend ACTIU, a Spanish brand that specialises in workplace wellness furniture solutions.

part 4: provide support at standing stations for well standard v02

For anyone who is a regular user of a standing desk, it soon becomes clear that some additional support is needed to make this a comfortable experience after the first hour or two standing. WELL specify anti-fatigue mats, recessed toe space, a footrest and or a leaning chair. Only once you have spent a day working like this will you truly understand how important these small details are to the whole active furnishings debate! We usually work with a brand like FULLY for these smaller details.

part 5: provide workspace orientation for well standard v02

This one is an easy win, simply ask your WELL consultant or HR department to arrange in-person training or a video education session on the importance of ergonomics, demonstrating how to get the best out of the chosen office furniture and other resources for further reading on the subject.

To discuss how we can help you create a healthy workplace or healthy building project with WELL certification, contact us here.