Business Info - issue 138

P2P Magazine | 23 www.p2pmag.co.uk MONITOR ARMS Monitor arms have long been a feature of corporate offices. Now, even small businesses are investing in them to improve the health and comfort of their employees. Michel Spruijt, general manager EMEA at Ergotron, believes rising sales are a product of greater understanding of the importance of ergonomics. He said: “The term ‘ergonomics’ has been promoted up the corporate agenda, from something that HR discussed with ‘that employee in the corner with back problems’ to being a strategic investment decision, discussed at board level. Businesses are realising that good ergonomics has to be incorporated into the fabric of the organisation due to the long-term ramifications on talent acquisition and retention and staff productivity.” Monitor arms help in this regard by making it easy for users to adjust the height and angle of their screen to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety DSE (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations and to reduce the risk of conditions associated with screen use. “Monitor position can contribute to Buyer's tips Steve Plaistowe, commercial business manager at Fellowes, highlights three factors to consider when choosing a monitor arm: 1 Number of monitors. Monitor arms come in a range of models to support anything from just one to as many as six screens. 2 Type of adjustment mechanism. Gas strut/spring technology offers instant flexibility and effortless height adjustment, which is great where one desk is used by multiple users, whereas a column mount monitor arm lets you set the monitor at a static height so that it is always at the correct height for the user. 3 Permanence of installation. Decide whether you want to use a free-standing monitor arm; to fix the monitor arm to the desk semi- permanently, using a clamp; or to fix the monitor arm to a wall – the ideal option for workspaces without a desk or with limited desk space. Armed and ready neck and shoulder pain and discomfort, which reduces worker performance and increases rates of absenteeism, so it is in everyone’s interests to ensure correct workstation ergonomics,” explained Sprujit. Flexible tool Natasha Laslett, sales director of Humanscale Technology, EMEA, says the case for monitor arms is enhanced by developments in workplace design, such as shared desks and co-working spaces, as they make it quick and easy for workers to personalise a work area. She added: “The demand on real estate to be more efficient means desk sizes are also reducing, and the right monitor arm is part of the solution as it frees up coveted desk space.” While all workers could benefit from a monitor arm, Ergotron’s Sprujit says some roles have more to gain than others. “Graphic designers working with the latest software applications usually need to design directly on a monitor using stylus pens. This requires a great amount of flexibility in terms of how they would like to use their monitor.With an Ergotron arm, they can sit and drag their monitor to the point of need and draw their design directly on the monitor surface,” he said. Myrthe van Stralen, researcher at Office Athletes, points out that monitor arms support the growing requirement for collaboration, by making it much easier to share what's on-screen with colleagues, while Humanscale’s Laslett highlights their applicability to increasingly common dual- and multi- screen set-ups. “The rise of Big Data and the Internet of Things means we are all being bombarded by more and more information and our need for more monitors to visualise more data means our need for monitor arms in the workplace is only set to increase,” she said. Whether chosen for their flexibility or their ergonomic properties, monitor arms are becoming an indispensable item in today's agile workplaces, helping staff to work comfortably and productively at their own desk or a shared workspace. Tayla Clapson finds out why monitor arms are in such demand Ergotron’s HX desk dual monitor arm, recipient of a 2018 iF Design Award, features a sleek, single-post design and a dual- hinge bow for smooth positioning of two 32-inch monitors. www.ergotron.com/en-gb/ Humanscale’s redesigned M2.1, M8.1 and M10 monitor arms can be fitted with an integrated M/Connect USB docking station for connecting a laptop to the monitor and other devices. https://uk.humanscale.com/ The Fellowes Platinum Series uses gas spring technology for effortless monitor adjustment and features built-in dual USB 3.0 ports to connect your favourite devices. Single, dual monitor, dual monitor stacking and triple monitor configurations are available. www.fellowes.com/gb/en/ Sleek solutions