Osmond Ergonomics

This article was originally emailed as issue 164 of our monthly eBulletin at 9:30 on 19/07/2023. You can register here to receive them monthly.

THE DEEP WORK HYPOTHESIS

Are the low-friction communications tools, like email, Teams and Slack, actually reducing our productivity? How often do you get to the end of a workday and think ‘All I’ve really done today is answer emails’? Author and computer science professor, Calvin Newport, argues that our almost-constant interaction with these tools distracts us so much from concentrated, deep thought that we may actually be losing the ability to think deeply at all. Newport says that, to learn hard things quickly, we need to focus intensely without distraction but that’s a skill that seems to be on the decline. Find out more from this podcast or join our discussion on LinkedIn.

PODCAST & WEBINAR SURVEY

We are reviewing our communications and considering the introduction of a monthly podcast. Recently, the growth of industry and commercial podcasts has been conspicuous and the abundance of these, alongside webinars, ensures a constant stream of online information, entertainment and education. Somewhat late to the party, I have become a podcast enthusiast myself since the start of the year and I am curious about your preferences. Please take a few minutes to give us your views in this short survey before 11.08.23. We shall be presenting a £100 Amazon voucher to one lucky participant..

THE VALUE OF AN OVERHEARD CONVERSATION

In the meantime, our webinar programme continues from a slightly different angle this month. Whilst we recognise the overall hybrid working trend since the Covid pandemic, the conversation about the pros and cons of office and homeworking continues to be complex, with widely dispersed individual experiences. This month, we have taken one element of the debate to highlight. It is based on my presentation at Clerkenwell Design Week and I look forward to exploring it further. Information and registration can be found here.

GOOD WORK DESIGN

The CIEHF (Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors) has just launched a new infographic about Good Work Design. It lays out a three-phase, human-centric approach to the design of work for people to both enjoy and thrive. It is available as either a single, scrollable document for onscreen use or, if you want to print it, a 2-page A4 pdf. You can find both on this page. There was also a webinar about it earlier this month, the recording of which can be found on this page.

ELECTRIC CARS

As with all our business activities, our company vehicle policy is to reduce our carbon impact at every opportunity and, in particular, with each replacement. This is not the place to debate the environmental value of electric cars vs. petrol / diesel / hydrogen / etc. but my personal move away from Tesla driving has made me acutely aware of the fractured nature of UK charging infrastructure for other marques. In just three months’ ownership, I have accumulated 14 apps to accommodate the various charging companies I have encountered! If you’re an EV driver, what is your experience? I would love to hear.