Padded Mats—A Comfortable Solutions for any Professional Location!

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of April 2012, there were 14.4 million people employed in the U.S. Retail Industry. The retail industry creates a pretty unique work environment for employees in that they have to deal directly with the public, with a friendly and helpful disposition. Often, these sorts of works are also required to stay on their feet for the duration of their shifts, in order to provide better service to consumers. This is exhausting work, and moving back and forth on top of a hard surface can lead to sore feet, painful joints, and aching legs and backs.

Rubberized padded mats are much softer and more comfortable than conventional flooring. A cushioned floor will provide more support and give than something like concrete, hardwood, and linoleum. An anti-fatigue comfort mat is supple and elastic and will better adhere to the weight of employees who have to stand for long periods of time. And because this sort of surfacing is available in a variety of styles, such as anti-fatigue floor tiles, mats, and runners, we’re certain that nearly any space—regardless of how unique it is, can be covered.

Check out this list we came up with of locations that could benefit from the use of a cushioned floor! Did your business make it on the list? If not—don’t worry, we couldn’t possibly cover every single location but this is our top-ten list!

1. Grocery Store
Cashiers working in a grocery store are the best example of why padded mats are necessary! A grocery clerk will remain standing within their little space for the duration of their shift, usually not stepping much more than one or two feet in either direction when they are ringing up goods. The softness of rubber surfacing can provides a huge relief to their tired feet and legs.

2. Food Preparation
Whether it’s your favorite sandwich shop or the best café in town—food preparation requires employees to stay on their feet while remaining ready and willing to take directions from customers. However, with food preparation you have the added risk of working with potentially dangerous tools, like sharp knives, hot surfaces, and larger machines. A cushioned floor can help ensure that your employee stays focused on the task at hand rather than their aching knees.

3. Commercial Kitchen
Comfort is pretty instrumental to safety—when people aren’t distracted by discomfort then they can be more vigilant towards accident prevention. Nowhere is this more important than in a kitchen where hot pans, boiling water, and dangerous tools can be found nearly anywhere.

4. Kiosk
Kiosk can sell everything from neat little kid-friendly trinkets to some pretty expensive handmade jewelry. A booth in a mall can be a great way to introduce a product to consumers without having to lease a whole building. Whatever it is you’re selling at your kiosk, chances are you and your employees will be spending quite some time on your feet. An anti-fatigue comfort mat can help keep employs bright and friendly throughout the duration of their shift.

5. Car Wash
This is a pretty unique setting that could greatly benefit from the use of anti-fatigue floor tiles. While the supple material of the matting will help combat fatigue, rubber’s natural high coefficient of friction can also help keep your employees from having slip and fall accidents. Some padded mats come with drainage holes to channel away moisture away from underfoot. This means that comfortable flooring is available even in excessively wet environments.

6. Assembly Line
This, much like a grocery checkout, is going to be a situation where an employee may not have to do a lot of moving but will still be required to stand for the duration of their shift. A thicker anti-fatigue comfort mat would be best suited to endure the constant weight of a stationary employee.

7. Work Bench
Like an assembly line, an employee stationed at a work bench, has to pay attention to the task at hand. That means that being distracted by discomfort is extremely detrimental and could even be dangerous! Anti-fatigue floor tiles could easily cover a wider or narrower space along or around a work bench, making it an ideal choice for this situation.

8. Beauty Salons
I can’t quite imagine a place where I want an employee paying as much attention as possible as when I am getting a haircut. Not only do I want a good cut—but I don’t want to lose an ear either! Those scissors are sharp! A strategically placed anti-fatigue comfort mat under a salon chair will provide the stylist with comfort and will also be easy to clean up. Requiring little more than a broom (or a portable vacuum if you have it) to brush off debris, cleanup is very easy.

9. Show Rooms
Sometimes, before a customer decides to purchase something they want to take a look at it first. Showrooms offer consumers a space where they can see an item in use—this is also a place where they can find knowledgeable staff that can help them with any questions or concerns they may have. These employees have to be educated and welcoming, but after standing for 6 hours straight—they might be a bit stressed. Providing a cushioned floor in this environment can help your showroom staff keep their cool even after answering the same question for the hundredth time that day!

10. Stores
Stores of nearly any kind—clothing, electronic, even plant nurseries can benefit from padded mats. A product is only good if it can get out to the public, and although advertisement and product usefulness are all going to directly affect its sales, so is the commitment of your employees to providing great customer service. So help them—help you! Provide them with anti-fatigue floor tiles, mats, or runners and help their productivity and efficiency go up!