This article was originally emailed as our monthly Workplace Design & Management newsletter at 11:00 on 21/07/2016. You can view older newsletters here and register to receive them monthly.
MILLENNIALS & THE AGEING WORKFORCE
Much has been written about these two social groups but the reality is that we are all ageing and each of us has our own preferred ways of working and communicating. Employers need to celebrate the chronological, social, physical, philosophical and racial diversity of their people and find flexible and pragmatic ways to accommodate and involve everyone. Following many discussions and two public presentations, I have now distilled a number of my thoughts and suggestions into a free 45 minute webinar entitled One Workforce: Four Generations. Check here for date(s) and time(s).
SIT-STAND DESK OR ADAPTER?
With some sit-stand desks now available at less than half their cost 15 years ago and some adaptors costing more than desks, we have been asked many times why anyone chooses an adaptor. The three most common reasons are: 1) Organisations who are contemplating the sit-stand concept want something less permanent to try initially; 2) Employers providing for individuals with back problems want equipment that can be redeployed when the condition improves; and 3) Employers using bench desking systems often find it is too much trouble (or simply impossible) to replace one or two workstations. There are other reasons, and then there are the choices of desk or adaptor format to consider as well. Many of the design factors are not obvious and may not be explained (or even understood!) by mainstream furniture suppliers. Contact us for expert guidance.
SMART BUILDINGS
As the range of communication technologies continues to grow, the scope for digital management of our buildings, people and resources expands exponentially. Building access systems, meeting room management and occupancy sensing are amongst the techniques that are now well established. However, in recent weeks, we have been looking at how this technology can all be integrated with other resources such as dynamically-allocated lockers, height-adjustable workstations, desk lamps and HVAC settings. Some of these individual technologies have been around for years but IoT-thinking is finally bringing them all together. As a ‘gadget geek’, I love it – and I can see the enormous potential. For more information or just a geek chat, please contact me.
HOW LONG SHOULD AN OFFICE CHAIR LAST?
This is a question that crops up from time to time and it is one that employers should ask whenever they are thinking about replacing chairs or buying more. Obviously, there is no simple answer but addressing the issue will prompt managers to think about wider topics such as warranty periods, repair and recycling. Warranties of 10+ years are now well established on premium products and cradle-to-cradle designs allow for much more cost-effective disposal or reworking. Whether or not a purchase is imminent, considering these factors will inform a better procurement process. Read more in this 2013 blog.
Osmond Ergonomics 