Ergonomic Desk Setup: Screen Placement & Monitor Arms

When it comes to ergonomics and computer screens, it’s all in how you look at them. One thing is beyond dispute: If you want an ergonomic workstation setup at the office or in a university setting, there’s definitely a right way and a wrong way to do it.

Finding the best position for a computer screen for your employees or students, or yourself is no small thing. After all, more and more hours per day are being spent sitting at a desk. Best to get this step of your ergonomic workstation set up correctly!

Why Bother With an Ergonomic Desk Setup?

You may be wondering why proper eye level is even important in the first place. Well, that's because workplace posture matters.

Many professionals and students spend 40+ hours per week or more at their desks. How they sit and how long they sit without moving can impact their physical and mental health, which in turn affects performance.

• • Neck, shoulder, and back pain
  • Eye strain - the user’s eyes grow tired more quickly and struggle to focus
  • Loss of concentration and efficiency
  • Lost productivity and ROI 

Knowing the perfect ergonomic position for your monitors gives you a good head start toward improving your overall ergonomic office setup.

What Is the Best Ergonomic Position for a Computer Screen?

So, what’s the best ergonomic monitor placement? It depends on whom you ask.

There are varying opinions online about whether the user’s eyes should be level with the middle or the top of the screen. But one thing's for sure: your eyes should not be level with the bottom of the screen. It’s better to be looking slightly downward than upward.

Many ergonomic experts and product suppliers recommend keeping the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level – approximately 2-3 inches below is recommended. When it comes to distance, the screen should be positioned at least an arm’s length away from the user. By ensuring users are positioned directly in front of the screen, you can avoid twisting or craning of the neck.

Tip: By using a height-adjustable monitor arm, you can make fine-tuning monitor placement easy and precise. Whether you’re at a fixed desk or a sit-stand desk, a monitor arm will allow you to find the perfect ergonomic height with minimal effort.

Dual Monitor Ergonomics

Things get more complicated with a dual-monitor ergonomic setup. It depends on the percentage of time spent with attention on one screen or the other. 

• If both screens are used equally:

• • Place side by side, directly in front of the user
  • Curve them slightly in a semicircle to reduce neck strain

• If one screen is dominant (used 80% of the time):

• Identify the user’s dominant eye
• Center the dominant screen directly in front of the user
• Position the second monitor (angled in) to the side of the dominant eye

When you add an adjustable dual-monitor arm, it can help align both screens evenly and also reduce the clutter on your desk. This enhances your overall ergonomic workstation setup!

Other Tips for an Ergonomic Computer Workstation

There are other ways to fix lost productivity resulting from a poor ergonomic workstation setup. Here are a few more tips for computer screens:

• Prevent glare. Screen glare can cause eye strain. But that’s not all - glare can force you to adjust your posture to try to look around it. The resulting awkward body positioning can have painful side effects if done enough.
  
• Avoid direct light behind the screen. Position the screen so it faces away from or at a right angle to windows and other light sources, especially if blinds or curtains are not available. The less light, the better!
• Use blue light filters or screen protectors. If you’re dealing with eye strain, blue light filters and screen protectors can help alleviate some discomfort and help improve focus.

Tools of the Ergonomic Workstation Setup

In a proper ergonomic workstation setup, there's more that plays a role than just a monitor. It’s just part of a package of elements that make a desk job or school studies more comfortable and healthy. Everything matters, from the office desk to the chair to the keyboard. In other words, the office needs to adjust to the user, not the other way around.

Have you looked at your setup and wondered, “What is standard desk height for ergonomics?” or, “What is the ergonomic height of a desk?” There isn’t a standard height for ergonomics because there’s too much variation in our shapes and sizes.

Features that can help achieve better office ergonomics include:

• Adjustable monitor arm or monitor lift mechanism. These allow the user to easily place the monitor in the best possible position. And they’re certainly steadier and more easily adjustable than a stack of textbooks.
  
  • Adjustable monitor arm: Single monitor use with tilt and swivel options.
  • Adjustable dual-monitor arm: Ideal for multi-display setups.
  • Wall-mounted or desk-clamp arms: Best for saving desk space and increasing mobility.
    
    
• Sit-stand desk mechanism. This allows a user to maintain proper eye level and change position without losing other ergonomic benefits.
   
• Ergonomic keyboard tray. The keyboard also should be adjustable. It should sit at waist height when the user is sitting. Of course, come 3:30 p.m., many people are tired and tend to lean back in their chairs. A keyboard with tilting ability will help make up for sloppy posture.

Depending on how often people are chained to a desk or computer, having the best ergonomic equipment and setup may not be enough. Sometimes, users need to get out of their ergonomic chairs, step away from their ergonomic desks, and go “remote.”

Stretching Your Legs

Companies like Google encourage their employees to take their work away from their offices and desks. In this sense, “remote” doesn’t mean working from home - employees can pick up their laptop and go to the lounge or outdoors. This allows them to work in whatever position they want for a little while, whether that’s standing, sitting, kneeling, or doing a cartwheel.

Experts recommend that every 30 minutes, users change body position and take their eyes off their screens for a bit. Why not do this in sunlight or on a comfy sofa?

This “remote working” adds flexibility to the workday. It’s a good way - along with proper office ergonomics - to shape a more happy and productive workforce.

Choosing Your Ergonomic Office Equipment

Looking to modernize your office or facility setup? Start with the correct ergonomic monitor arm or computer monitor lift mechanism – tools that promote adjustability, comfort, and long-term health. From there, build out with a sit-stand desk and ergonomic accessories to complete the setup.

To learn more about selecting the best monitor arm or optimizing your ergonomic office setup, check out the link below.

(Editor's note: This blog was originally published in October 2019 and was updated in July 2025.)