Osmond Ergonomics

This article was originally emailed as issue 180 of our monthly eBulletin at 11:30 on 13/12/2024. You can register here to receive them monthly.

15 YEARS OF THE eBULLETIN

With 180 newsletters now behind us, we are proud to have shared the eBulletin on time once a month, every month for the last 15 years. When we started, sit-stand desks were an exotic Scandinavian import, the earliest laptops existed with monochrome screens and mobile phones were used for talking to people! Since that time, we have chronicled the furniture, accessories, technologies, research and innovations of the changing workplace. We shall continue to do so! The eBulletin is one of three free subscription services we offer. Product Radar provides a single page update every time we add a product to our portfolio that we think should be ‘on your radar’. It is published whenever we have something new to show you. Our Top Tips newsletter is a much more recent addition, aimed specifically at DSE and Workplace Needs Assessors, and published weekly. Each issue highlights a single topic and includes a video clip or downloadable pdf that subscribers can use themselves or share with clients or colleagues. You can update your subscription choices for any or all these services here.

NEW PODCAST SERIES

My podcast returns in January with a wide-ranging discussion about creating an Enticing Workplace. My guest, Nigel Oseland, has completed extensive research about what makes people prefer to work in the office or at home. I blogged about the research a few months ago and this podcast was a great opportunity to for us to catch up and explore some of the themes. As with my first season, new blogs drop at 6:30am on the first Monday of the month so you can access our conversation from Monday January 6th. When it’s live, you will find it with my other podcasts here.

DIDN’T I JUST SAY THAT?

Nigel is also involved with some fascinating research alongside Paige Hodsman. This is exploring how men and women hear each other differently – or maybe not at all! I first saw Paige present their literature review ‘Hearing Women in the Workplace’ at Workplace Trends a couple of months ago and they are now looking for survey participants. If you can spare 15 minutes to take part, please do so here.

WHERE HUMAN FACTORS MEETS LEADERSHIP

You may have seen me post on social media that human factors are more central to workplace conversations than at any time in the last 30+ years. Yet I hardly ever encounter ergonomics or human factors (E/HF) professionals in workplace conversations, apart from those involved in DSE assessments. As a Workplace Sector initiative, the CIEHF scheduled a webinar to discuss the interface between workplace and E/HF. I was delighted to host that conversation with Chris Allen of MONTROC Consulting. It was a very informative and entertaining session so well worth an hour of your time. The recording can be found here.

SEASONS GREETINGS

As we approach the year end, may I take this opportunity to wish you a joyous festive break, surrounded – I hope – by your loved ones. The world can be a challenging and scary place at the moment so let’s cherish and take advantage of the opportunity to count our blessings and remember those less fortunate. In order for my team to do that, we shall be closed from lunchtime on 24.12.24 until 02.01.25.