Over the course of the pandemic, you’ve likely had to adapt different parts of your on-site workspace or even make your employees remote. Now that employees are starting to move back to in-person work it’s a great time for you to update your workplace layout for not just safety reasons, but for employee comfort as well. Workspaces can be unintentionally built to best fit individuals with smaller body types. This is a surprising issue, seeing as how 30% of the worldwide population is considered to have larger body types. Here are some ways for you to design your workplace to accommodate all body types:
Ask Your Employees
Your employees know what they need to be comfortable better than you do. Make sure to ask your employees if there are any places in your workplace that are difficult to maneuver. Consider using an anonymous method of giving feedback so your employees feel comfortable being honest. Make sure you have a plan for communicating next steps after you review feedback. You may not be able to do everything your employees ask for, but you should have a plan for thanking employees for their feedback and communicating what actions you will take.
Evaluate Your Furniture
No employee should be in agony sitting in their desk chair. Pay attention to the size and comfort of furniture in your office. It is a good idea to get adjustable chairs, so that all body types can be comfortable. You will also want to check the desk and hallway space in your office. Changing the design of your workplace is worth the employee satisfaction that will follow.
Don’t Make Employees Feel Different
Certain employees might need to have different accommodations so that they can be comfortable. There is nothing wrong with this, and employees shouldn’t feel like there is. Encourage your employees to bring up difficulties they have or accommodations they need. This will help all your employees to feel included and accepted.
Adapting your workplace design to include all of your employees will make your employees happier. Understanding your employees’ needs will help you make your workspace more inclusive to all body types.