- Reduce Workplace Stress
- Improve Comfort
- Prevent Typing Injuries
- Boost Productivity
- Commitment to Well-being
Curved, ergonomic keyboards are designed to make computing comfortable and healthy. They encourage a neutral wrist position, making it easier for you to avoid straining yourself while typing all day long. They also prevent repetitive strain injuries and reduce muscle fatigue and other disorders caused by muscle strains. Kensington is excited to offer both a full size and TKL version.
According to OSHA, ergonomic issues in the workplace are directly related to one dollar out of every three dollars spent on workers' compensation claims on average.
Therefore, if you haven't considered purchasing ergonomic keyboards, it may be time to look into the reasons why you need them for yourself and your staff.
5 Reasons You Need an Ergonomic Keyboard
To see how a curved keyboard impacts typing speeds and postures, the experts at Kensington conducted an experiment with volunteers who had never used one before. They measured the volunteers’ physical movements as they adapted from traditional keyboard layouts like QWERTY or DVORAK mode, which allowed the researchers to isolate preferences between these layouts and Kensington’s Pro Fit® Ergo model.
They found that users agreed that Kensington’s Pro Fit® Ergo models created less angle-insensitivity than most competitors while still maintaining the comfort needed for rapid text entry without typos. Due to its ergonomic design features like wrist support armrests that allow you to work at angles farther away from your computer screen, users discovered they liked working on an ergonomic keyboard more than they expected they would.
Personal enjoyment is not the only reason to switch to an ergonomic keyboard. Here are the top five reasons you and your company should use them:
1. Reduce Workplace Stress
Keeping your body in good condition is essential for both your physical and mental health. People often strain their hands while using keyboards, resulting in wrist pain and related problems like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Ergonomics strengthens your muscles, decreases pain, and improves blood flow. It also enhances mental insight, increases awareness, and improves your mood.
Those who use ergonomic products, especially keyboards, report that they experience less anxiety. Therefore, you can help your team members reduce stress in the workplace by providing them with an ergonomic keyboard from Kensington.
2. Improve Comfort
Ergonomic keyboards encourage neutral forearm and wrist posture. By improving your wrist movements, you will increase your level of comfort while typing.
In the Kensington experiment mentioned above, 84% of the volunteers said that they preferred the tactile advantage of the Kensington Pro Fit® Ergo Keyboard. They noted that the split, sloped design features and the built-in wrist rests made the Kensington keyboard more comfortable.
According to the study participants, the low-profile design and compact layout also offered a more natural feel. These features and more are why those who use Kensington keyboards agree that they are more comfortable to use than non-ergonomic keyboards and the "bulky" ergo keyboards sold by competitors.
3. Prevent Typing Injuries
Participants who used the Kensington Pro Fit® Ergo keyboard exhibited 68% less bilateral ulnar deviation and 77% less bilateral wrist extension on average than those who used their old non-ergonomic keyboards. These measurements represent two forms of unhealthy torquing in the forearm, which is also called ulnar constriction.
Furthermore, providing your team members with better tech devices and accessories will reduce the likelihood of typing injuries such as Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). According to the OSHA study mentioned above, doing so could also reduce workers' compensations claims due to injury.
By addressing the issues that lead to injury, employees can better maintain their physical health.
4. Boost Productivity
Comfort and reduced injuries are not the only significant benefits provided by ergo keyboards. Your productivity level will also experience a boost when you use them.
In the two-week Kensington study, participants realized their average typing speed when using an ergonomic keyboard exceeded their original typing speed on traditional keyboards by 11%. None of the users had ever used an ergo keyboard before, but they discovered they were actually more productive thanks to their design features.
5. Commitment to Well-being
Investing in ergonomic products like the Kensington Pro Fit Ergo keyboard—available in both full size and TKL versions—demonstrates a commitment to health and wellness. For business owners, this investment can boost employee productivity and reduce workplace stress levels, creating a healthier work environment. For individual users, ergonomic keyboards enhance comfort and reduce the risk of strain injuries, making your daily computing experience more enjoyable and sustainable.
According to Forbes, 96% of employees feel happier when they work for an employer who cares about their health and well-being. Similarly, individuals who use ergonomic products often experience increased satisfaction and reduced discomfort during their personal or professional tasks.
Whether you’re a business owner looking to support your team's wellness or an individual seeking to improve your own comfort and productivity, ergonomic products like the Kensington Pro Fit Ergo keyboard can make a significant difference. Show you care by choosing an ergonomic work environment that supports physical health and overall well-being.
Adapting to a Curved Keyboard
According to the study that Kensington conducted, it only took users a few days to adjust to the ergonomic designs on their new keyboards - four days to be exact. In just under one work week, most of the participants in the study recovered (and actually improved) their typing speeds.
During their study, Kensington also had users try competitors’ ergonomically designed keyboards. They found that the participants preferred the Kensington Pro Fit® Wireless Keyboard. One reason for this was that the participants said they adapted to the Kensington ergo keyboard quicker than the competitors’ products.
If you haven't considered an ergonomic keyboard before, now is the time. Here at Kensington, we have a long line of ergonomic products to help you create a healthier work environment.