Joint Replacements, a Baby Boomer’s Story
Yet, despite the benefits, a fast-emerging concern is the long-term health and safety of people working at home. Household accidents have risen sharply. Last year, 28% of all U.S. households reported a home injury compared to half that rate in 2017 (14.3% NHIS). Who is having more accidents at home? In a recent report by, Injury Epidemiology (Columbia University), households in urban areas, with incomes of $100,000 and having children at home were significantly more likely to report injuries. Most injuries are due to falls (32%) or by being cut by something sharp (11%).
What’s going on? The slips, falls and other accidents associated with in-person workplace injuries have migrated to home. Safeguards normally found in the workplace may be missing at home. Few home working spaces can replicate the environments of well-planned business spaces. Not all workers have access to a dedicated home office space, good chairs and desks, ergonomic monitors and keyboard placements, specialized lighting, other office basics that help reduce accidents.
Employers also need to keep in mind that people working remotely often work longer hours, and with fewer breaks, than they would in a regular office setting. Employees may decide to power through their workday with no break at all, causing physical fatigue and injuries associated with carpal tunnel, neck and back pain from sitting at a computer and rounding the shoulders to lean the head forward.
Beyond safety lapses, the increased accident rates at home may also be due to other issues. Not everyone sees an upside to working at home. Increased stress and anxiety, and other challenges are taking a toll on many workers. They cite difficulties in balancing work with home duties, or losing the in-person experience of collaborating with colleagues or accessing information. In-home distractions including sharing makeshift workspaces with spouses, children, or pets may compound the stress.
As more companies look at long-term remote or hybrid working plans, they have new responsibilities to their employees. They need to help people by prioritizing their health, well-being, and morale. New work processes, tools and technology to work from home, and frequent check-ins can help people feel resilient and engaged in times of disruption. The strict safety policies and risk mitigation measures found in the office need to be same for home offices.
However – and this is important – while companies are legally required to maintain strict safety standards, OSHA’s current policies “will not hold employers liable for employees’ home offices, and does not expect employers to inspect the home offices of their employees.”
Many businesses and human resource managers are actively guiding home workplace safety measures. Some companies offer stipends for employees to purchase ergonomic chairs, surge protectors, even home fire extinguishers. If you don’t have that kind of support, it’s in your interest and your company to talk about what can be done.
By the year 2025, it is estimated that almost 70 percent of the workforce will be working remotely at least five days a month. Research by Global Workplace Analytics, shows that 82% of people working remotely due to the pandemic want to continue working remotely at least once a week. Only 3% have no desire to work remotely.
If you continue working at home, you’ll find that there are certain traits and skills that will bolster your work satisfaction. Leading those traits is being an open and clear communicator. Without the ability to stop by co-workers’ desks, having intentional and responsive messaging or online meetings will help insure top performance. The better connected you are with work colleagues, the more you’ll find rewards beyond the work tasks in front of you.
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