workplace design

The term workplace design describes how to equip a workplace in accordance with the physical and psychological needs of people. Good workplace design contributes to the humanization of the working world — in other words, it reduces the professional burdens on employees. When designing a humane workplace Do internationally defined standards apply, such as DIN EN ISO 26800:2011 and DIN EN ISO 6385:2004. Assessment criteria for a well-designed workplace are:

• Tolerability: The activity can be carried out without negative health consequences (lack of damage).
• Reasonableness: The work is affordable within the framework of social, technical and organizational conditions.
• Executability: Work does not endanger health or life and takes into account biological and physical possibilities — such as physical strength.
• Personality promotion: The job offers space for the development of cognitive, social and personal skills.
• satisfaction: The individual expectations of employees are in line with actual work realities.

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Influenceable framework conditions for workplace design

The design of a workplace depends on various factors: working conditions, work environment and the workstation yourself. For the implementation of a humane workplace The measures are divided into three central categories:

• Ergonomic workplace design:
  The aim is to prevent health problems — both during physical and mental work. You design the workplace in such a way that stress is reduced and natural movement processes are supported.
• Organizational workplace design:
  This is about structuring work content and external conditions — such as designing the working hours, break regulations or shift systems.
• Technological workplace design:
  The targeted use of technology and automation improves collaboration between humans and machines. This includes assistance systems or the digitization of processes, for example.

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Workplace design with Halocline

Design the Assembly workstations your employees interactively in Virtual Reality (VR). You can Manufacturing processes in simulation simulate in order to identify problems in the design of workplaces at an early stage. Critical attitudes and movements are immediately visible — not only when it is too late. Unleash the full potential of your workplaces with cutting-edge technology!

What is ergonomics?

Die ergonomics — also known as Ergonomics — is defined as the teaching of human work, according to the Institute for Occupational Safety of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV). It pursues the goal of Humanity and efficiency to reconcile. Ergonomics are used wherever people and objects interact — for example on office work station with PC or on the Assembly station with machines.

The focus is on working people with their needs and abilities. Taking into account the Work safety Attempts are made to working conditions adapt so that you can make optimal use of your abilities — without damaging your health. The focus of ergonomics is on long-term Injury to body and mind. Three areas play a role in this:

• work environment (e.g. noise, climate)
• workstation (e.g. table, seat height)
• Work equipment (e.g. machines, tools)

Why is ergonomics important in the workplace?

The physical, health and safety-appropriate design of the entire Work system is crucial to the Health and performance to retain employees in the long term. Just a well-thought-out and individually adapted workplace design helps Long-term damage to avoid.

Regardless of whether you work sitting or standing — all contacts, movements and postures can be carried out optimize from an ergonomic point of view. This ensures that your team stays healthy and can work more productively at the same time.

Ergonomic workstations with Halocline

Would you like to analyse the current situation of your workplace design? With our Halocline VR editor solution Can you Realistically simulate work and assembly processes — intuitive and without much effort.

In doing so, you cover in the simulation Potential for optimization of movement processes and critical physical loads on. This allows you to identify ergonomic weak points before they become a problem — and design workplaces that really suit the people who work there.

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Benefits of needs-based workplace design

Too often, adapting jobs in companies is seen as an expensive investment. It is easy to overlook the fact that a good workplace design In the long term even Reduce costs can — provided that it is well planned. Because both sides benefit from a healthily designed workplace: Employees and companies.

You increase the Quality of life in the workplace And at the same time the Quality of work results. Here is an overview of your benefits:

• Increasing competitiveness:
  More effective workflows save time and maximize productivity and product quality.
• Reduce costs:
  Through needs-based planning, you can reduce absences due to illness and subsequent costs in the long term.
• Increase satisfaction:
  Comfortable workplaces mean satisfied employees — with significantly lower sick leave.
• More safety:
  Well-designed workplaces reduce accidents and physical stress.

The right workplace design: employer obligations

Regardless of whether office work station or technical production plant — as an employer, you are required by law to comply with certain requirements for workplace design comply. Because the equipment and condition of the workplace play a central role in occupational health management and the prevention of accidents at work.

Legislators set clear requirements based on occupational science findings to protect the safety and health of your employees.

Statutory regulations on workplace design

The globally valid standard DIN EN ISO 26800:2011 (“Ergonomics — General Approach, Principles and Concepts”) summarizes generally applicable ergonomic principles for new and existing jobs together.

According to the Works Constitution Act, the following applies:

• The works council must be involved in workplace design. You must inform him about the design of workplaces, processes and environments — including the necessary documents (Section 90 (1) BetrVG).
• You are required to inform the works council in good time about planned measures and their effects on the work and requirements of employees (Section 90 (2) BetrVG).
• If employees are unreasonably burdened by planned changes, the works council may demand measures to mitigate the situation — if necessary by involving a conciliation body (§ 91 BetrVG).

Depending on the job and type of job, you must also consider other legal requirements.

Workplace Design and Occupational Health Management (BGM)

The desire for maximum performance at minimum costs must not be at the expense of the workforce. That's why this plays Occupational Health Management (BGM) a central role. It is based on Occupational Health and Safety Act and is committed to designing the work in such a way that Health and life Your employees are not endangered and burdens are kept as low as possible.

This includes the body-appropriate workplace design, but also protection against external influences such as noise, heat, or poor air. Even individual requirements — for example physical limitations — must be taken into account when designing.

Workplace design with Halocline

Making workplace design visible: Efficient planning with Halocline

We'll help you with the Occupational demands to minimize for your employees. Taking into account individual spatial conditions such as room size and physical requirements Like body size, you develop illustrative solutions for designing your workplaces.

Through the visual presentation of work processes and postures and the direct experience in Virtual Reality (VR) Can you Identify ergonomic and space problems early on — and take targeted countermeasures before it is too late.

Tips for healthy workplace design

Your employees' workplace is more than just a workbench, table or chair — it's where they spend a large part of their day. With a well-thought-out workplace design Do you not only increase well-being, but also productivity. Here are a few practical tips that you can use when planning Halocline Layout can implement:

1. Environment

• Pay attention to as much as possible quiet working environment — in production halls, e.g. through soundproofing measures.
• Care for adequate lighting, ideally daylight.
• Hold the Humidity at 40-60% to protect skin and mucous membranes.
• The optimal room temperature is between 20 and 22 °C.

2. Table and chair

• The table should at least 80 x 160 cm tall and height-adjustable Be, to also standing work to enable.
• Back-friendly chairs are essential — they help to relieve spine and prevent complaints.

3. Movement sequences

• Analyze the Movement sequences, for example, to identify unnecessary routes.
• Avoid movements above shoulder height or far away from the body — this protects muscles and joints.
• Optimize grasping movements: Organize material sensibly in Griffroom on or use tools such as swivel arms.

4. Work content

• Avoid monotonous activities — they put a strain on the mind and body.
• Don't overwhelm your team. A balanced load also protects the mental wellbeing and bends burnout before.

A look into the future: How will we work?

digitization and mechanization are already changing the world of work today. In the future, even more processes will be driven by technologies and artificial intelligence supports — and the Place of work becomes more flexible through mobile working. But what does that mean for humans?

Work systems continue to develop — the interaction between people and work equipment is changing. This also increases the requirements for sustainable workplace design. It is supplemented with new aspects and must be adaptable flexibly.

The role of humans in production

Just in manufacturing sector People will remain indispensable in the future — even if many processes are automated. There are still activities that performed manually must be. In these areas, Home office barely possible, and the physical workplace remains central.

It is therefore all the more important to focus on a modern, healthy and efficient workplace design to respect. This is the only way you can remain competitive as a company — and attract qualified specialists.

Latest developments in workplace design

Do you want the Jobs in your company Design according to the latest standards — with technology that really helps you move forward? Then now is the right time to make your Taking planning process to the next level.