Vision, Productivity & Leadership: Why Employers Should Care About Eye Health in the Office of the Future

There are many employee-related concerns an employer needs to reckon with, from basic mental health provisions to interpersonal conflict management processes and beyond; a harmonious workplace is a productive workplace, for so many more reasons than the meeting of core KPIs.

It should come as no surprise to anyone in management that employee wellbeing is crucial to business success – but this doesn’t mean that certain considerations don’t slip beneath notice. When was the last time, for instance, that you considered the impact of digital eye strain (DES) on employee comfort and performance? 

Eye Strains, Screens & Lost Output

If DES has not formed part of your approach to employee wellness, then it may surprise you to learn that DES is prevalent in as many as two-thirds of workers, and that musculoskeletal symptoms are present in nearly 90% of them. 

DES is an acquired condition, naturally resulting from excessive use of screens and near sight focusing. Symptoms of DES include dryness, blurred vision, and headaches, which can wreak havoc on employee wellness and productivity. At best, these symptoms cause discomfort; at worst, they result in costly mistakes and costly workplace absences. 

Regulation, Liability & Employer Duty

There are Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations to which each workplace must adhere to, particularly where employers expect employees to use screens regularly and daily. These regulations also apply to employees working from home, as at-home working is one of the leading causes contributing to rising instances of DES in the workplace. By law, employers must conduct DSE workstation assessments for relevant employees, and act to reduce risks for employees (including mandating regular breaks).

Adapting the Office for the Future.

The regulations also require that employers provide eye tests for employees, if requested – a provision which opens a gateway to the future of the positive and proactive workplace. As screens become central to daily workplace activities, and as eyecare is becoming more important accordingly, employers have an opportunity to adapt their policies to provide subsidies and allowances for any required eyewear, such as glasses or multifocal contact lenses. 

Wellbeing, Retention & Engagement

There’s a precedent for this suggestion, too. Eye-care benefits have been proven to correlate with employee satisfaction, as seen by surveying UK employees. But, more importantly for the metric-driven employer, 84% of employees agree that corporate-provided eyecare would improve workplace productivity. The same research found that nearly three-quarters of employers were not complying with basic DSE regulations and, therefore, are potentially dealing with an unproductive workforce. 

The figures are more than a pointer towards potential benefits, but rather a calling card for businesses to take proactive steps into an employee-centred future and look after their eye health.