Working from home takes a physical toll — and companies are trying to profit from that

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Subpar at-home workstations, long hours and poor posture have led to a rash of ailments for remote workers — and opportunities for companies offering solutions

Lindy Burns had every intention of getting a proper desk and chair after the pandemic forced her to start working from home. As a yoga therapy clinic owner, she understands the importance of posture more than most.

Lindy Burns, 38, works from her bedroom in Catonsville, M.D. The yoga therapy clinic owner is grading student papers and planning her weekend training. “There was forced movement. And now all of a sudden that routine is gone,” said Scott Bautch, president of the American Chiropractic Assn.’s Council on Occupational Health. “There was not much transference of the work environment to the home environment.”

Shopify gave each of its employees a $1,200 remote-work allowance last March and an additional $1,440 after it announced two months later that it would move to a permanent work-from-anywhere structure even after the pandemic ends. Besides the usual office basics, employees have used the money to buy espresso machines, slippers, bean bag chairs and an “office snack shelf.

Its first store opened in November at Westfield Century City, followed by a second in Manhattan a few weeks later; the company is planning to open several more across the country this year. Its stock has since recovered, nearly tripling in price in the last 12 months. As a result, sales of the Irvine company’s $249 Venom wearable back device increased 300% in 2020 compared with the previous year and total revenue rose 40%, Huether said. He said the growth was “driven by the explosion of at-home fitness and wellness” during the pandemic.I’ve looked into good chairs and good desks, but the costs have outweighed the benefit at this point.Good products help, but workers say they’re also trying to educate themselves about healthy ergonomic practices.

Hinge Health said its customer base tripled and its revenue quadrupled in the first 10 months of the pandemic. In January, the company announced it had raised $300 million in venture capital, giving it a $3-billion valuation.

 

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