Workplace Doctor: Back pain a problem that can’t just be solved by Google

Employee with back pain told to 'Google' a solution, should challenge the employer on workplace health and safety and the need for an ergonomics assessor.

I work at a desk 10 hours a day and sometimes notice my back hurting. In the past, companies I have worked for have had ergonomic assessors in place to ensure I sit at my desk properly, but my current employer told me to look on the internet. What can I do to ensure I am being properly protected? SG, Dubai

Sitting at a desk for 10 hours a day is not healthy for anyone. I encourage you to make sure that you are integrating breaks, exercise and time away from your desk into your working day. You could try to hold meetings away from your work station, take a walk every few hours, or even just get up and grab a cup of coffee. Personally, I find it hard to sit at my desk just for an hour, let alone 10. It can also be productive to take a walk during meetings, rather than endlessly sitting around a table.

You should not only be mindful of the physical strain of your work environment, but also the repetitive and dull nature of spending too much time in any one place. Remember, we are human beings, not machines. A change of scene will kick-start your creativity and ramp up your productivity by making you feel both physically and mentally energised.

Impressively, many of our UAE clients have created seating-free meeting rooms. One organisation even has a meeting room with five running machines to encourage activity and reduce meeting times. Walking into the large open-plan office for the first time and seeing the chief executive hold a large meeting while taking a swift walk on the running machine was certainly an impressive sight.

Having noticed early back pain, you need to address this before it becomes a real issue. Back pain is one of the most common work-related injuries, and many studies show that a sedentary culture, particularly sitting, is taking a major toll on health. However, a work station set-up with proper furniture and equipment can lead to a more comfortable, safer and productive work environment.

Many employers, especially large multinational companies, have an ergonomic assessor who undertakes work design practices as part of their health and safety or HR teams. Workplace ergonomics, the science of design in office environments, is now a well-established field, and a great deal of research is available on work station layouts, office chairs and the length of time spent working at computer screens. Fortunately for me, most of my previous employers embraced this, bringing assessors into the workplace to provide advice, guidance and best practice. One even offered physiotherapy treatment if you suffered from pain, which was especially handy for me following a football injury.

I suggest that you do read up on the internet and review other sources of information, so that you are up to date with ergonomic best practice and what UAE employers are doing for their staff. I also suggest visiting a doctor, physiotherapist or chiropractor/back specialist to get some advice on how you can take steps to personally pre-empt this situation from escalating and protect your health.

All of my advice so far relates to what you can do. What surprises and disappoints me is that your employer has brushed this off, referring you to the internet. Your employer should have policies and procedures in place to manage this, and if they don’t they should be willing to implement them. Is this how they deal with all issues? For example, if you noticed someone bullying a colleague in the workplace and reported them, would they ask you to “Google” the solution.

Use your case to arrange an open conversation with your employer about the benefits for employee well-being and performance by employing an ergonomics assessor. Alternatively, an in-house specialist could be trained to help create a better working environment. Maybe that could be you?

The flip side for your employer is potentially much harsher; they may lose staff through preventable injuries and subsequent absenteeism. Organisations that are attractive to work for take into account the need to look after their workforce in a number of ways. Creating an environment that protects them from physical and mental illness is definitely top of the list. Employers have a duty of care during working hours and it seems that your current employer is failing to take responsibility.

Doctor’s prescription:

Gather information on workplace ergonomics and arrange an appointment with a healthcare professional for advice on your back pain symptoms. However, your employer suggesting you “Google” issues around workplace health is simply not good enough. Encourage your employer to learn about best practice in this area as there are significant costs for not doing so, including its reputation as a business.

Alex Davda is a business psychologist and consultant at Ashridge Business School, based in the Middle East. Email him at [e-mail] for advice on any work issues.

Follow The National's Business section on Twitter