Responding to a
new world of working
Changing the way we work
Technological and social changes are seeping into the workplace, leading to a change in how, where and when we work. No more daily 9-to-5 at the same desk. But agile work, hot desking, mobile work, flexiplaces, teleworking, activity-based work, project-based work, BYOD, flexible working hours, coworking and, of course, working from home. These developments have many advantages. For instance, research has shown that employees are generally more satisfied with their jobs, more productive and more committed when they have the opportunity to work remotely (Felstead & Henseke, 2017) or work flexibly (Carmichael, 2015). But they also raise an interesting new issue. For how do you ensure that your employees can work healthily, efficiently and ergonomically when you have less control over where they work?
For your employees to work ergonomically - regardless of where they work, you only need to take 2 actions. First, you need to make sure your employees have the right knowledge and know the right guidelines so that they always know how to work ergonomically. For example, think about how to correctly adjust the workplace, such as the desk and chair, and the importance of movement during the working day.
You should also provide your employees with the right tools to set up their workplace ergonomically, such as monitor arms and laptop risers.
At Dataflex, we advise customers on ergonomic workplace or office design. Our products offer a solution for any working environment. The design philosophy at Dataflex has always focused on the bigger picture. It has earned us a number of prestigious design awards. But more importantly, we can offer you products that help and support you and your employees.
A nice story,
but what do you actually need?
Agile working
Agile working is a methodology devised by employees, for employees. With a focus on flexibility and adaptability aimed at maximising the effectiveness and impact of work. Welcoming change and continuous improvement are hallmarks of this philosophy. This translates quite literally into the workplace.
To promote agile working, the workplace must be transparent. This means that everyone should have a good overview of the team and all visual information available. Think of boards displaying goals and milestones. The workspace should also be flexible. Employees do not have a fixed place but adapt to who is needed where, as well as what work needs are. Modular furniture and elements are essential here.
Hotdesking
With hot-desking, employees do not have fixed workstations, but flexiplaces. Employees can choose an available workstation to work at. This way, you promote a dynamic and mobile working environment. Here, each workstation is made suitable for each employee. So it is important that each workplace is equipped with the right, easily adjustable, ergonomic products so that employees can always work well and healthily. And that every workplace is suitable for every employee. It is also important to provide employees with an option where they can keep their personal items, thus keeping workstations tidy. This is called clean desk.
Activity-based working
Activity-based working (ABW) ties in with Agile working. ABW is also wildly popular these days. And how could it be otherwise? ABW promotes employees' health, happiness and productivity by giving them customised workplaces (Budie, Appel-Meulenbroek, Kemperman & Weijs-Perrée, 2018). So that for whatever job, you have the ideal workplace at any time. It transforms an office into a more vibrant and dynamic environment, where creativity flourishes and inspiration naturally follows.
Working from home
When it comes to the new world of work, working from home is certainly not to be missed. In recent years, working (partly) from home has become the new norm. When you have a fixed workplace in an office, you can reasonably expect ergonomic and pleasant working conditions to be made possible and even easy. But, when you work at home, do you allow yourself the comfort and benefits of an ergonomic home office? We would be happy to help you work healthily and sustainably at home.
Curious to know more?
Have you become curious about the ideal ergonomic solution for your company? We would be happy to advise you.
Yes, I would like advice
