This article was originally emailed as our monthly Workplace Design & Management newsletter at 11:00 on 15/03/2018. You can view older newsletters here and register to receive them monthly.
HEALTHY PEOPLE – HEALTHY THINKING – HEALTHY WORKPLACE
An updated approach reflecting disruptive times
Within a week of writing this month’s newsletter, I shall have attended the Agile Working Event 2018 and the HSE Musculo-Skeletal Disorders Summit. Whilst these two London events may sound very different, they both address issues facing organisations and individuals in today’s rapidly changing workplace. What are the trends and challenges faced by support professionals to maintain an effective workforce and how can they be addressed? We see a common thread that requires a three-pronged approach to mental and physical wellbeing. We call it Healthy People – Healthy Thinking – Healthy Workplace. To reflect this updated approach, a lot will happen between now and our next newsletter
- We shall be launching a new (and dramatically different) web site
- We shall be launching a brand extension to reflect these three strands
- We shall also be updating our general web presence and literature
- We shall be merging our two monthly newsletters
- We shall be revising our newsletter design to colour-code the different features
Watch this space!
STANDING NOT SO GOOD FOR YOU AFTER ALL?
Sit-stand desks are not the panacea promised by many
Recent statements in the press quote new research from Curtin University in Perth, Australia. This research outlines short-term cognitive and musculoskeletal deterioration from ‘prolonged’ use of standing desks. In our sound-bite society (which coined the phrase ‘Sitting is the new smoking’), few readers look beyond the headlines to discover there was only a small sample (20 people) and a single session. We have never advocated two hours of uninterrupted standing and have always stressed the importance of movement. By coincidence, my blog with all the key points to avoid this deterioration preceded the research!
IMPULSE NPR
Extremely adjustable seat depth suits most users
With multi-national, multi-cultural offices so widespread, the demand for ‘tall person chairs’ continues to grow. Every week, we are introduced to workers of 6’6” (2m) and taller who are unable to get comfortable in the standard office chair provided for them. The NPR is designed to meet the demanding Dutch NPR1813 dimensional standard and, uniquely, also fits much shorter people. This makes it a viable option for hot desking and multi-user environments. With a 10cm seat slide, larger base, wider ranging seat slide and 4D+ armrests, the Impulse NPR accommodates a surprisingly large proportion of the working population. For more details, please contact the Customer Service team.
TRAINING SERVICES
Another accreditation and more services
The first of our brochures to be updated with the new brand extension is the one showing our full training portfolio. As well as gaining accreditations from both the International Institute of Risk & Safety Management and the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors, we have strengthened our portfolio with a number of expert partners. In addition to our published list of open course topics, we have a broader selection of mental and physical wellbeing tools and sessions so we shall be delighted to explore your in-house needs.
Osmond Ergonomics 