October is National Ergonomics Month, and the timing feels right. Here in Canada, the way many of us work keeps shifting. CBC News reported in September that most federal public servants have been expected in the office at least four days a week since July 6, up from three, while roughly one in ten of them is still waiting on enough desk space to make that happen. Many other people split their weeks too, moving between a kitchen table, a shared desk and a home office.
More days in different places means more chances for a sore neck, stiff shoulders or tired eyes. The good news is that a comfortable setup is mostly about a few small adjustments, not a pricey makeover. Here is a plain-language guide based on what ergonomics experts have been saying this month, with a few practical picks from our Office collection.
Start from the floor and work up
For National Ergonomics Month, office furniture maker Allsteel shared an eight-step desk check led by certified ergonomist Dr. Lauren Gant. It works from the bottom up. First, set your chair so your feet rest flat on the floor and your hips sit level with or a little above your knees. Leave a gap of two to three inches between the front of the seat and the back of your knees, and make sure the backrest actually supports the curve of your lower back.
No adjustable chair at home? A WeWork article from October 8 offers easy workarounds: roll up a sweater or towel for lower-back support, and rest your feet on a bag or a sturdy box if they do not reach the floor.
Raise the screen, not your shoulders
Both guides land on the same point about screens. Allsteel recommends placing your monitor straight in front of you, about an arm's length away, with the top edge at or slightly below eye level. The WeWork piece says that looking down at a laptop is the most common cause of neck pain among computer users, and calls a laptop stand the one non-negotiable item for anyone who moves between workspaces.
A foldable riser is handy for hybrid weeks because it packs flat. Set it up at home, then slip it into your bag for office days or a hot desk.
If you work at a desktop monitor that sits too low, a sturdy stand does the same job and frees up space underneath for your keyboard.
Bring the keyboard and mouse to you
Once your laptop screen is raised, typing on its built-in keyboard gets awkward. That is why the WeWork article describes a stand, an external keyboard and a mouse as the basic kit for flexible workers. Allsteel adds a few details: keep the keyboard flat, keep the mouse right beside it, and hold your wrists straight and relaxed.
A wireless set keeps cables off the desk and moves easily between rooms. If you already have a keyboard you like, a quiet, rechargeable mouse is a small upgrade that fits in a laptop bag and will not bother anyone nearby in a shared office.
Allsteel also warns against resting your wrists on hard table edges. A soft, padded rest gives your hands a gentler place to land during pauses between typing.
The best posture is your next one
Here is the part people tend to skip. Dr. Gant puts it simply: the best posture is your next posture. In other words, no single position stays comfortable all day. Shift often, stand up for phone calls, and take short walks when you can.
An article published October 7 by the British Safety Council makes a similar case. Written by two experts from the workplace health company Vitrue Health, it argues that equipment on its own rarely solves desk pain. What helps is learning how to adjust it and changing position regularly, including switching between sitting and standing instead of standing for hours. The authors also say that about one in three workers assessed on their company's platform reported discomfort serious enough to affect their concentration.
The takeaway: whatever you buy, spend ten minutes actually adjusting it, and check again in a few weeks.
Rest your eyes and light your desk
Allsteel's checklist ends with the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. It is an easy habit to tie to email checks or the end of a meeting.
With clocks falling back on November 1 and the evenings getting darker, many home desks end up lit by one overhead bulb. A small desk lamp puts light right where you are reading and writing.
Pack for the commute
If you are heading into the office more often this fall, keep your setup portable. A slim sleeve protects your laptop between home and work, and it leaves room in your bag for a folded riser and a mouse.
Small, affordable desk upgrades also make thoughtful holiday gifts for a coworker, a student or anyone who has just been called back to the office.
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References
- Allsteel and Certified Professional Ergonomist Dr. Lauren Gant on Maximizing Workplace Wellness for National Ergonomics Month 2026 — officeinsight (October 2026)
- Ergonomics 101 for the Flexible Worker — WeWork Ideas, by Ana Voicu (October 8, 2026)
- The five DSE ergonomics myths costing employers money — British Safety Council, by Dr Nicola Tik & Dr Shane Lowe (October 7, 2026)
- Lack of space keeping 10% of federal public servants from more office time — CBC News (September 11, 2026)