Survey asks: Should employers pay for work-from-home ergo expenses?

New York — Nearly three-quarters of remote workers say their employer should provide a general work-from-home stipend to help make their home workspaces more ergonomically correct, results of a recent survey show.

With spare bedrooms, kitchen tables and dining rooms now home offices during the COVID-19 pandemic, workers are looking to make their new work arrangements more healthy and comfortable. Proper ergonomics, according to OSHA, can lessen muscle fatigue, increase productivity, and reduce the number and severity of musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace.

Researchers from the human resources technology company Namely conducted an online survey of remote workers to find out if employers are subsidizing the basics of working from home. Eleven percent of respondents said “ergonomic support was imperative,” according to a press release.

Almost half of the respondents (47%) said their home office equipment (e.g., computer monitors, laptops and desks) was subsidized by their employer. Wi-Fi topped the list of home office expenses the respondents wished their employer covered.

So how much do workers want? Responses varied widely, from $50 a month to a one-time payment of $1,000.

“Whether out of anxiety or necessity, more employees are now clamoring to remain remote,” Namely Chief People Officer Amy Roy said in the release. “They’re balancing their kids, their pets and their full-time jobs while trying to maintain optimal productivity. One thing is for sure, the employers who empathetically helped their employees weather these challenging times have earned loyalty in ways not previously generated.”