Have you ever considered just how important Display Screen Equipment (DSE) is to your company?

Without it, your teams quite simply will not be able to compete in the digital world. With many businesses choosing hybrid working as a long-term solution, ensuring teams do not just have the right tools but that they are also protected from a health and safety perspective is incredibly important.

The solution? DSE assessments for your entire business. 

DSE assessments are a detailed look at the workspaces that your employees have and how suitable the technology solutions are. Selecting high-performance technology such as laptops, monitors, mobile devices, and even AV solutions is just the first step. Each user then requires configuration to suit their own needs which is something we include within the deployment of our complete bundles.

At Podia, we offer fully qualified assessments alongside insights into how hybrid working can be made more successful within your organisation. It’s not just about making sure a screen is at the right height or an employee has the right tools, it's about aligning every aspect of your employee experience for elevated performance. 

The short answer is yes. If your employees use a screen for more than one hour a day, a DSE assessment is a legal requirement. For companies with five or more team members, you may be required to present your documented results when requested. 

Employees also expect these safety checks to be completed as part of their own duty of care needs. 

Hybrid working employees may have found ways to adapt to various workplace settings, but that does not mean temporary solutions can stay in place over the long term.

Health and Safety Executive¹ report that symptoms noted by employees include headaches (52%), eye discomfort (58%), and neck pain (47%). They also found most of those who had reported the issues did not feel they could take time off which means they would have carried on their duties whilst not being fit to work. This means less efficient performance, decreased motivation, and an overall negative impact on company culture. 

This is also echoed in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which states:

‘All employers have a duty to do whatever is “reasonably practicable” to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of their employees. Your duty of care as a manager means that you will take all reasonable steps to ensure safety in your workplace, and prevent any harm, injury, or loss coming from activity in your organisational activity'.

   1.       Musculoskeletal Discomfort

With 65%³ of employees confirmed to have reported some type of musculoskeletal pain, it is no surprise that as of 20/21, there were more than 470,000 workers suffering within the UK⁴. 

What does our DSE assessment cover?

• Suitability of furniture for own physical needs

• Tips and advice for how to properly set up a workspace

• An assessment of current posture 

Some examples of products that we recommend for alleviating these issues are:

 2.       Mental Health Illness and Fatigue

Unite for the Union⁵ reported that in 2019 that 12.8 million days were lost due to mental health sickness days in the UK alone. With the pandemic and new ways of working having likely further affected teams, ensuring their workspaces are supportive is essential for ensuring you do not become a victim of the great resignation.

What does our DSE assessment cover?

• Software suitability

• The general wellbeing of employees in terms of their ability to interact with teams and their own technology

Some examples of products that we recommend for alleviating these issues are:

3. Visual fatigue 

As many as 59%⁶ of employees have reported eye fatigue as a result of screen time. With many people dependent on digital displays for most of their work, the DSE assessment ensures any exposure is deemed as healthy for employees.

What does our DSE assessment cover?

• Checks on all screens and displays which includes the ability to tailor brightness and exposure

• Set up of workspace including height of assets

• The adjustability of the workspace to suit different needs

• Lighting and environmental factors

Some examples of products that we recommend for alleviating these issues are:

¹ https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr561.htm

² https://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/hswa.htm

³https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/article/vitrue-health-2022-03-15-what-happens-if-you-dont-follow-the-dse-regulations-for-hybrid-working

⁴https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforhouseholdsandindividuals/householdandindividualsurveys/labourforcesurvey

⁵ https://www.unitetheunion.org/

⁶https://www.reviewob.com/new-survey-findings-how-many-employed-patients-are-experiencing-eye-strain/#:~:text=Almost%20six%20in%2010%20(59,percentage%20points%20since%20last%20year