Five Hidden Costs of Computing

The health conundrum

Part 1: Who's been playing with my mouse?

Computers -- or more specifically their keyboards and mice -- are one of those things you're likely to touch every day. And in most situations, other people are going to as well. At home? You're probably fighting for time on the computer with your spouse's e-mail checks or your kids' video games. At work, colleagues and bosses are blithely going to tap on your keys or click your mouse as you collaborate on solving work problems.

And that means all of those people are going to leave you a little present or pick one up from you -- germs. In flu and cold season, there's no question that your desk and computer equipment are harboring plenty of bugs. A 2002 study by Chuck Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, found that untreated desks harbor 99% more germs than ones that have been disinfected.

"Any device that you share can carry germs. We all push more buttons than we ever did before," says Gerba. "Phones are bad; TV remotes are the worst. But increasingly, computers are on the list, because they're such a center of activity at home and in the workplace."

The resulting costs in missed work and lost productivity, medications and cold/flu remedies, and general physical misery can run in total into the hundreds of dollars per person per year for affected employees, says Gerba. (The misery is free; it's the productivity drop that'll really get you.)

The answers to this cost are some basic, small upfront costs: Some antibacterial wipes for your equipment and soap or other cleansers (and these don't need to be antibacterials) to wash your hands frequently. Gerba says the wipes are a better idea for the keyboard than a spray would be, but sprays are OK for the rest of your desk area.

From a business perspective, providing disinfectants is a good idea, but there's a little more planning to be done. The Centers for Disease Control has prepared a checklist for use in planning for a pandemic-level flu, but it'll do just as well in helping to plan for basic illness season and preventing wide outbreaks in the workplace. Arranging with local health authorities to get flu shots for your employees is also a fine idea. And about those handshakes when you greet a visitor to your office in wintertime? You may want to perfect the art of the Japanese bow.

Part 2: Oh, my aching back, neck, wrist ...

The plain and simple truth is that we spend too many hours at the computer. Work a 40-hour week (and many will laugh at that paltry figure), and that's 2,400 minutes every week spent in a seated (or slouching) position, staring at a screen, typing and mousing away -- all direct contributors to repetitive motion injuries, back and neck pain, eyestrain, headaches, poor circulation and even obesity. Add time spent on the home computer writing e-mails and instant messages, watching videos, working with digital photos, doing online banking, playing games and so on, and you're in danger of doing your body serious harm. "Tennis elbow" may as well be renamed "mouse bite" these days.

Having workers injured from computer use can be a company's worst nightmare. You thought having the flu go around your office was bad? Think about losing one or more employees to short- or long-term disability leave, paying for their physical therapy, accepting reduced hours as they slowly recuperate enough to return to the workplace. Think about the extra strain it will put on your other employees as they try to compensate for the injured workers.

Five hidden costs of computing Applications Getting the computer to do something useful Vendor lock-in Feeling the death grip The health conundrum Part 1: Who's been playing with my mouse? Part 2: Oh, my aching back, neck, wrist ... Productivity Where does the time go? The end costs It's not over 'til it's over

In this case, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Recovering from repetitive strain, neck or back injuries in particular can be excruciatingly painful and slow. It's far better to make sure you don't damage your body in the first place. Making sure that your workstation is set up ergonomically, that your sitting posture is correct, and that your station has proper lighting can all help. So can ergonomic input devices, such as modified keyboards and mice, and LCD monitors, which don't flicker the way CRT monitors do and thus cause less eyestrain.

Perhaps even more important is simply getting up and moving around on a regular basis. Focus your eyes on something in the distance to relieve them from focusing close up. Try doing simple stretches at your desk, such as those demonstrated at the My Daily Yoga Web site. If you're at home, take a break to walk the dog, check the mailbox or throw in a load of laundry.

Businesses, it's up to you to provide your employees with a healthy work environment. That includes paying attention to physical workstations, equipment, lighting and so on, but also encouraging employees to take frequent breaks, stretch and exercise regularly. And make sure they don't spend their lunch hour hunched at their desks -- providing a break room where workers can be computer-free for an hour will relax overstressed bodies and minds.