This article was originally emailed as our monthly eBulletin at 11:30 on 10/06/2020. You can register here to receive them monthly.
This is my fourth eBulletin since the pandemic began. Each month, I try to provide my perspective and some pointers about how employers are responding, what looks to us like best practice and what we predict on the near horizon. Most of our customers are now in Phase 3. This phasing has nothing to do with government guidelines but is about the actual state of development of systems and processes within the organisation. We describe these three phases as 1. Rabbit in the Headlights; 2. Getting a Grip; and 3. Command and Control. To see how we define these stages and find out more, please click here for our blog page.
In case, there is a window in your constant regime of home schooling, virtual meetings and webinar attendances, I shall be talking about the three workplace phases of the pandemic for about 50 minutes at 15:00 on Wednesday June 17th. You can book your place here.
If you have already seen the CIEHF guidance ‘Creating a safer workplace during COVID-19’, you will have noticed that I am already observing two of their Video Etiquette recommendations (about timing and duration). I shall be referring to this excellent document alongside some of the best practice ideas we have encountered. If you are unavailable (or just too knackered after a day of home schooling!), I shall also make the recording available soon after the event.
Our Home Worker page is constantly evolving in response to customer demand. We now offer chairs at a range of prices to balance your ergonomics requirements and your budget. Most of the chairs are stock items readily available in black for delivery to your door in 7 days or less. Others are made to order with a choice of fabric colours but still available in a couple of weeks.
We are most grateful to our manufacturing and logistics partners for making this all possible. The Home Worker page has accessories too, so you can configure your own laptop kit (stand, keyboard and mouse) from our best-selling models or add a sit-stand adaptor or lamp.
ZENTOFIT BESPOKE CHAIR SERVICE
One of our new rapid-response chair choices is zentoFit from Ergochair. We are proud to be one of the selected partners to offer this opportunity for home workers to specify their own bespoke model using the downloadable configuration process.
You may already know the wide selection of options available with the Ergochair Adapt range. The zentoFit approach permits individuals to select a similar combination of key options and add-ins to specify a chair that fits them well and provides the necessary postural support. The process is logical, reliable and straightforward. If you have already had an Ergochair Adapt model at work, have specific needs a standard chair will not accommodate or just want a home worker chair that fits, this is the answer!
The Workfit-Z mini sit-stand adaptor has been a consistent seller throughout the lockdown period (and before). It is compact, easy to adjust and light enough (14.5kg) to lift on and off a table at home. Unlike other adaptors, it is unobtrusive, designed to blend with domestic décor and fits on the sort of compact table that so many home workers use.
In a joint promotion with our friends at Ergotron, we are delighted to be offering one of these as the prize in our home worker raffle. Simply provide your details here to take part in the draw. The closing date is June 30, 2020 and the winner will be announced in the July eBulletin.
One of the biggest corporate issues we have faced in recent weeks has been the need for employers to meet their health & safety obligations in an unplanned scenario for which no budget has been allocated. As our Home Worker page shows, we have been able to offer some outstanding offers on a variety of products but finding a budget laptop stand that meets our ergonomics and quality criteria has been particularly challenging. Until now!
Our new FoldineX laptop stand is available from stock with a retail price of just £24.95 + VAT. It is stylish, compact, lightweight and easy to adjust. Find out more on the product page or contact our Sales Manager, Kevin Webb, for bulk enquiries.
We are just beginning to clear our backlog of postponed installations. We shall focus on sit-stand desks in the first instance but we shall also be offering chair installations again where a doorstep or kerbside delivery is not suitable. We appreciate that many people will still not want anybody in their home but, for those who do, and those offices that are also ready for us to install, we have the required PPE and procedures in place and will be contacting you shortly.
This will be a slow process in the first instance but we shall gain momentum as we gain experience with the help and co-operation of our valued clients. If you have an urgent need, please email planning@ergonomics.co.uk to check the current viability in your area.
Posted by Guy Osmond 
Osmond Ergonomics 