The office worker of the future could have a permanently hunched back, varicose veins and red eyes if changes to work environments are not made, health experts have warned.
Research commissioned by office supplies company Fellowes found that workers suffer from workplace health issues such as strained eyes, sore backs, and headaches.
The research, which analysed 3,003 people in France, Germany and Britain in June through an online survey, found that over a third of British office workers spend between seven and nine hours a day sitting at a desk.
Based on the study, a life-size model named "Emma" was created to illustrate how the set up of a workstation can lead to office workers physically and visually changing, to cope with a poor office environment.
The doll developed a permanently bent back caused by sitting for hours in a bad position, varicose veins from poor blood flow, a rotund stomach caused by a sedentary position, dry and red eyes from long hours staring at a computer screen, and other health conditions.
William Higham, behavioural futurist and author of the report, said: "The Work Colleague of the Future report shows that employers and workers really need to act now and address the problem of poor workplace health.
"Unless we make radical changes to our working lives, such as moving more, addressing our posture at our desks, taking regular walking breaks or considering improving our work station set up, our offices are going to make us very sick."
