Standing while working is a new revolution slowly taking over many work environments as Americans recognize the harsh effects that sitting for extended periods of time can take on the body. Many companies are switching their standard office desks out for higher work stations or adjustable desks that allow their employees to stand while they are working or sit back down in their office chair when they begin to feel fatigued. Getting a new desk is the first step in the process to creating a more healthy environment, however, standing on a hard surface for extended periods of time can lead to just as many health issues that are experienced when sitting in an unergonomic office chair. The best solution for this? Purchasing an anti-fatigue mat.
What is an anti-fatigue mat?
Anti-fatigue mats provide relief from standing on hard floors or surfaces for long periods of time. Working on hard floors on a daily basis can be extremely taxing on your employees leading to back and leg pain and can lead to an increase in physical stress. This inadvertently leads to a decrease in worker productivity and overall output. Standing is extremely fatiguing and elicits major physical exhaustion because your body’s heart muscles have to work extra hard against gravity to maintain blood flow. Lack of movement in the legs causes the muscles to constrict as they work harder to keep the body upright.
The benefits of anti-fatigue matting
Anti-fatigue mats are beneficial in a number of ways including reducing back pain, increasing circulation, reducing leg pain, reducing spinal compression, reducing absenteeism, and increasing productivity. Their soft surface provides a more supportive surface to walk on and reduces pressure on specific points in the joints, connective tissue and muscles. A well made anti-fatigue mat will cause the body’s muscles to slowly contract and expand as they conform to the mat’s flexibility.
Anti-fatigue mat applications
Anti-fatigue mat collections have been diversified to be versatile enough to be used in just about any application including medical offices, environments that require ESD ratings, switchboard environments, wet applications, theme parks, grocery stores, restaurants, hair salons, banks, labs, or just about anywhere where employees are required to stand. They have even reaching a new demographic, stay at home moms. Stay at home moms are finding these mats to be beneficial when performing regular house hold chores such as washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, ironing, hanging clothes, and other tasks that require standing.
Help improve your overall costs by investing in quality anti-fatigue mats for your employees. You will be helping to reduce the physical pain that comes with working on hard surfaces for long hours at a time, avoid worker compensation claims, avoid accidents due to slipping, and employees taking time off work. Your employees will thank you, your productivity and output will increase, and you will be saving money and therefore improving your bottom line.
