This chapter is not just about office layout and furnishings. Well-designed, well-appointed workspaces transform corporate culture.
culture: they make it easier to interact, strengthen the sense of belonging and inspire people. Ergonomics unquestionably influences
the way people think, feel and collaborate. This gives you a serious advantage, particularly in reducing absenteeism due to backache and other musculoskeletal problems. And it will help you retain talent!

• Create modern, stimulating office spaces. I'm particularly fond of the concept of biophilic55 design, which draws inspiration from nature to create better office spaces. Among other things, this type of design favors natural lighting, indoor plants, unobstructed views and noise reduction.
• Invest in ergonomic furniture and give your team enough room to arrange it to their liking. Not only will this help you prevent productivity slumps, it's also a way of showing people that you appreciate them. As a result, they'll be more likely to want to demonstrate their qualities and stay with the organization for a long time. Ergonomic workstations also considerably reduce the risk of accidents.
• Design modular office spaces with private and public zones. Some tasks require quiet to concentrate, while others require frequent exchanges with colleagues. A modular space improves overall productivity by meeting these diverse needs simultaneously. Unnecessary interruptions are greatly reduced.
• Offer flexible working conditions. For example, "à la carte" schedules that help people reconcile their professional commitments with their private lives. Also consider remote working:
  home office or coworking space.
• Minimize physical risks in the workplace. Check that your organization complies with current health and safety standards.

• Workspaces suffer from major defects. For example, there may be insufficient natural lighting, poorly compensated for by artificial light that is often excessive. The result is a risk of glare and consequent eye fatigue. Another example is overly dry air, unpleasant odours or annoying noise.
• Clutter. A messy workspace is detrimental to performance and team concentration. Not to mention the bad effect it has on colleagues and visitors... or the risk of accidents: some people could get tangled up and fall.
• Seeing ergonomic offices only in terms of their cost, rather than as a sound investment. Poorly designed spaces lead to back problems (typically, lower back pain) and/or other musculoskeletal disorders (e.g. tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome), in addition to headaches and even migraines. Often, these costs end up far exceeding the average budget for an ergonomically well-designed workplace.
• Workstations poorly designed for prolonged sitting. Back pain can become a chronic problem! Take the trouble to consult an ergonomics specialist when choosing office furniture. Inform your team and check that each workstation is properly configured. Draw people's attention to the importance of changing position regularly, especially when working in a seated position, and remind them of the importance of taking breaks to recuperate. Everyone should feel free to stand up, stretch, take a few steps or lie down for a moment in a quiet or relaxation zone.
• Forget to take care of your team's health and well-being . Don't discourage them from pointing out the warning signs of physical problems. There may be social pressure not to talk about our daily ailments. That doesn't alter the fact that, as far as the law is concerned, employers are responsible for doing everything in their power to protect the health and safety of their employees.