The chair was not cheap. Quality mattered when it was bought, and apparently there are quite a few things you can adjust. Nobody explained which control does what, though. The instructions are probably still somewhere. Perhaps in the box that was thrown away long ago.

So the employee adapts herself to her workstation. She slides forwards a little to reach the keyboard more easily. She leans towards the screen to read small text. By the afternoon, her neck feels tight. “Another busy day,” she says, packing her bag.

That is what a working day might look like when the equipment has plenty to offer, but little of it is being used.

Buying well is only the beginning

When people think about ergonomics, furniture often comes to mind first. A decent chair, a height-adjustable desk, perhaps a special mouse. These are visible things. We can choose them, order them and then say: we have done something.

Whether a workstation suits the person and their work only becomes clear when it is used. Something comfortably within reach of a tall colleague may be awkwardly placed for a shorter one. A screen that was adequate for a brief entry yesterday may be used for several hours of spreadsheet work today.

This goes beyond desks. The height of a work surface, the arrangement of tools and the position of frequently used materials all shape how people do their jobs. Some of these things can be changed. First, someone has to notice that the current arrangement is making work unnecessarily difficult.

“It’s fine” tells us very little

We are quite good at making do. The screen is a little off to one side? We turn towards it. The materials are at the back? We stretch. The chair does not feel right? Perhaps it just takes getting used to.

These adjustments are often barely visible from outside. After all, the work gets done. If nobody says anything, it is easy to assume everything fits.

I think we can ask more specific questions. Not just: “Have you got everything you need?” But also: “How are you getting on with it? What is awkward? What do you keep having to work around?”

Those questions bring different answers. Perhaps someone does not know about the adjustment options. Perhaps a frequently used shelf is difficult to reach. Perhaps the equipment is suitable in principle, but not for the task that now takes up most of the day.

The workstation stays, the work changes

Many workstations are set up once and then receive little deliberate attention for a long time. Meanwhile, tasks, software and procedures change. Occasional screen use becomes a day full of video calls. Another monitor arrives and goes wherever there is space.

People also have different needs. A temporary limitation after an injury may make a familiar movement suddenly difficult. Someone else may need a lasting adjustment.

It is therefore worth looking at the setup again when something changes. Employees should not have to work out for themselves which aid is suitable. They should know where to get support and feel able to raise difficulties.

Movement needs room in the day

Ergonomics also involves looking at how the work flows. When we are concentrating, we may only realise at our next appointment how long we have barely changed position. The height-adjustable desk has stayed at the same height all day, although it offers other possibilities.

It is easy to remind people to move. The more useful question is how movement fits into the actual working day. Can tasks alternate sensibly? Are there opportunities to change position? Or is the schedule so tight that even small interruptions are seen as a nuisance?

We can look at this together. Good equipment and well-organised work complement each other. Both are needed in daily practice.

Knowing what can change

Training can help people see their own workstation with fresh eyes. What options does the equipment offer? Which habits have crept in? And where would specialist support be useful?

For me, it matters that ergonomics is not reduced to telling people to sit properly. People work under particular conditions. Those conditions need attention too.

In the EU AI Act Academy, ergonomics therefore also uses clear examples connected to people’s own work. The knowledge should help learners recognise opportunities for improvement and raise them within their company.

Perhaps it starts with rearranging a work surface. Perhaps with a conversation about the workflow. And sometimes with someone taking a moment to explain what the other two levers under the chair actually do.