When it comes to finding the right office furniture for your office space and designing and creating the perfect office, keyboard trays are probably the last thing on your mind. They aren’t exactly the most exciting or eye-catching piece of furniture you will have in your space; however, they can benefit you. Having a keyboard tray is just as important to ergonomics as having the right office chair. We are going to try to help you decide if a keyboard tray is right for you and help you answer the question, “Should I add a keyboard tray to my office?”.
What is a keyboard tray?
Because keyboard trays aren’t the flashiest piece of office furniture, many people don’t even know what they are.
A keyboard tray is an office furniture accessory that usually allows you to slide your keyboard under your desk, when not in use. It is meant to be pulled out and worked on when using your keyboard. These trays allow you more flexibility to move and adjust your keyboard. Keyboard trays typically are able to tilt, lift, slide and swivel, so you can optimize your comfort while you work.
A keyboard tray allows you to make precise adjustments to your typing position, preventing and relieving pain and repetitive stress injuries. Keyboard trays provide another way for maximum ergonomic benefits and greater levels of comfort for any workforce. When used in conjunction with fixed height desks, or with standing desks, a keyboard tray can improve the overall usability and functionality of your entire workspace.
Should I add a keyboard tray to my office?
As with all office furniture, you should select items that will promote wellness in the workplace. Keyboard trays add many benefits to the workspace. Let’s review.
- Increased and Adjustable Comfort: Studies have found that when employees are comfortable at work, productivity increases. When typing at a fixed-height, you cannot configure what angle to position your arms; this can lead to discomfort, increased health risks, and distractions. With a keyboard tray, a person can adjust to their comfort level by lowering, sliding, angling, and/or pivoting their typing surface. As we have reviewed before, everyone is different, so it’s important to find office furniture that is adjustable and best suited for your office space.
- Health Benefits: Having your keyboard and mouse at an uncomfortable height or angle can cause pain and soreness and prolonged health issues. Keyboard trays help to prevent carpel tunnel, tendinitis, and other pressure point injuries in arms and hands. Keyboard trays can also help to improve posture and not cause long-term health issues. Proper keyboard placement is an invaluable tool in promoting healthy posture and helps to alleviate lower back and neck pain.
- Organization and Additional Space: Staying organized and having necessary desk space is key to efficiency. The average person spends over four hours per week searching for items at their desks because of clutter. Having a keyboard on top of a desk can add additional clutter to the area, take up valuable desk space, and get in the way of work needing to be done. Having a keyboard tray below the working area of the desk helps to eliminate one more thing that is in the way and taking up space. It can be out of sight and out of mind when not needed.
At this point, hopefully you can answer the question, “Should I add a keyboard tray to my office?”. All office spaces and people are different, so the decision is up to you. Keyboard trays can add benefits to the office space.
Like keyboard trays, most office accessories aren’t always at the top of people’s minds when they are designing or upgrading their office, but they should not be forgotten. At Office Furniture Warehouse we have over 4 acres of office furniture available. Office Furniture Warehouse can help you update your workspace with a multitude of office accessories and other new and used furniture items.
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