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While the modern workplace is slowly catching up with the times by equipping each employee with their own computers or stations, peripherals attached to these machines basically remain the same. For example, most offices still issue standard computer keyboards despite the fact that smaller and health-friendly keyboards are already out on the market. Yes, mini keyboards are not only small, as their name implies, but they have added benefits aside from taking up a more finite amount of space on your desk.

To understand the advantages of using a mini keyboard over the standard computer keyboard, we must first explore why prolonged use of the latter often results in serious injury. Manufacturers of most full-sized keyboards probably do not have your health in mind when they draft their designs. In a bid to minimize cost and make their products affordable to a wider market, keyboard producers opt to sacrifice user comfort and ergonomics in favor of function.

Although your typical computer keyboard is only one factor in comfort at the workplace, replacing it with a mini keyboard may do wonders to your performance. Its smaller size gives you a choice of placement. It is recommended you position the new keyboard depending on your comfort level. Before placing the keyboard, ask yourself this simple question: Do you feel strain in your wrists, shoulders or neck when typing in that posture?

While we are on the subject of comfort, it is prudent to discuss another key feature of some mini keyboards, the touchpad. A touchpad is similar to a mouse in the sense that it moves the cursor across the screen. The purpose of having a touchpad on this type of keyboard is to lessen your hands' trip to the mouse, movement that most likely causes some of the discomfort you feel while using the computer.

If you don't feel comfortable using a touchpad, you may want to check out mini keyboard models which have built-in trackballs. A trackball is also a pointing device and looks like a cross between a mouse and a touchpad. Instead of tracking the movement of fingers, it detects the rotation of the ball on an X and Y axes.

Still not convinced of the keyboard's versatility? What if you are told that there is such as thing as a mini wireless keyboard, a variant of the small keyboard that is probably the most functional. It is highly flexible and portable because you can place it in any position as long as it is within the specified operating distance, giving you some leeway in avoiding posture-related injuries.