The case for everyday ergonomics in workplace flooring

With today's emphasis on health, fitness and ergonomics, why are we still walking around on polished concrete in large retail stores and brittle carpet tiles in the workplace?

By Clay Moore, Midwest Health and Wellness Manager, Ecore — The architect Louis Sullivan wrote “form ever follows function.” At Ecore, we couldn’t agree more. “Function” drives the “form” that each of our surfaces takes. The thickness, density, and format of a floor is very important and should be influenced by the application in which it is intended to be installed.

Performance Rally fitness flooring

Performance Rally fitness flooring with vulcanized composition rubber backing, courtesy of Ecore

The ability to minutely tweak and adjust the form of our products gives Ecore a unique ability to create surfaces that address specific performance attributes. Perhaps the most relevant to the general population is what I call “everyday ergonomics”. In a world where people are using fitness wearables to track steps, activity, and health goals, why are we still walking around on polished concrete in large retail stores and brittle carpet tiles in the workplace?

People try to spend eight hours sleeping each night, and we all know the importance of finding a mattress that correctly supports the body and provides the optimal environment for restful sleep. Yet, little thought is given to the surfaces that we interact with during the other 16 hours we are awake and on our feet. I believe the four main areas that are either forgotten, downplayed, or under-utilized when it comes to “everyday” ergonomics are the workplace, retail stores, fitness environments, and senior care facilities.

Workplace wellness

Whether someone is standing behind a checkout counter, working a 12-hour-shift in a hospital or healthcare facility, or traversing the floors of a skyscraper in Manhattan, we can all agree that a lot of energy and time is spent on our feet at the workplace.

Heritage Motivate PVT workplace flooring

Heritage Motivate Performance Vinyl Tile (PVT) is safer and more ergonomic than traditional LVT products, with a force reduction of 10.6%. Image courtesy of Ecore

For a pharmacist, lab technician, or nurse, ergonomics is not a “nice to have” – it is a must; and Ecore is helping to drive meaningful change in the health, wellness, and service industries. Essential workers – healthcare personnel, teachers, and those in the service industries – simply deserve a better surface to stand on while they work, not to mention that better staff ergonomics can benefit companies on multiple levels. Some benefits of an ergonomic surface include better employee retention, reduced staff fatigue resulting in better quality of care and service provided, and lower injury rates resulting in reduced workplace injury claims.

So, what about the rest of us who need a more balanced surface to pair with our standing desk? Or those of us that want to have more energy at the end of the day to deposit into that scheduled workout? Unfortunately, corporate America is a little slower to catch on and, rarely are performance surfaces ever considered for everyday office spaces. However, as workplace design continues to skew the “open concept” with an importance on “flex space,” the need for ergonomics will only grow. What a great way for companies to put their money where their mouths are regarding improving employee wellness and work-life balance.

Retail stores

Having worked in the retail design industry before coming to Ecore, I often joke that the retail industry has a polished concrete obsession. I certainly understand why from a cost, ease of maintenance, and construction standpoint, polished concrete has become the standard in both big box retail, boutique retail, and even the restaurant landscape. Though the look is on trend, the data shows that there is little to no ergonomic benefit from concrete. Even long-distance runners choose to run on asphalt for its slightly softer properties.

My charge is for retailers to identify areas of stores where performance really matters and to deliver a better surface for shoppers and staff alike. This could be as simple as utilizing a softer, safer floor in entryways or as complex as installing a multi-purpose floor for a flex area (think yoga classes at Lululemon). As the retail industry becomes more and more about in-store experiences, there are many opportunities to utilize performance surfaces where customer interactions are happening – something like an athlete trying out footwear in a sporting goods store.

Fitness environments

Perhaps the most advanced area when it comes to putting performance first is the fitness environment. It is well known that there is clear data pertaining to how flooring is vital to personal health and wellness in a fitness space. Ergonomics is much more than how flooring feels underfoot or how comfortable it is on your tailbone while doing sit ups. It is very important to examine a surface’s force reduction (absorption of impact energy) and its energy restitution (amount of energy the surface gives back) before selecting it for a space.

Performance Rally fitness flooring

Performance Rally fitness flooring has vulcanized composition rubber backing to help prevent injury. Image courtesy of Ecore

Thousands of reps and repetitive motion is taxing enough on the body, but correctly pairing the fitness activity type with the proper surface is vital to preventing injury and for fine tuning the efficiency of a training routine. Doing box jumps on a concrete surface vs. one with a vulcanized composition rubber backing, such as Performance Rally, could be the difference between a nagging hip injury and having toned quads.

Senior living

The same qualities that make resilient flooring a favorite of athletes and trainers all over the world make it an excellent option for senior-living facilities. That’s because acoustics, ergonomics, and safety are just as important in these types of facilities, and you could argue the stakes are even higher to deliver on a senior’s needs. The right flooring solution for senior living should be durable, easy-to-clean and must be designed with everyone’s safety and comfort in mind.

For these facilities, specify a flooring that offers a superior friction coefficient to prevent slips and falls, and impact-absorbing technology to support seniors’ joints and muscles. A high performance rubber flooring surface is engineered to reduce background noise and promote a tranquil environment for seniors to connect with family, friends, and staff. Unmatched ergonomic benefits make a safer, healthier environment for seniors and those who support them.

Ecore, for example, offers Heritage Motivate, a new Performance Vinyl Tile (PVT) that is safer and more ergonomic than traditional LVT products with a force reduction of 10.6% and an energy restitution of 66.7%. Ideal for a full range of interior applications from health & wellness facilities to offices, education, fitness spaces, schools, retail locations, living spaces, and more, it’s easy to install, ergonomic underfoot, and easy to clean and maintain.

Conclusion

So, in the end, it all adds up. In a time when personal health is on everyone’s mind, something as simple as a better ergonomic surface can have a lasting effect. Ending the day with more energy, suffering less from chronic pain, and seeing more gains in the gym are all more important than if your new office really nailed the “modern industrial aesthetic,” right? I certainly think so.