Since the onset of the ICT revolution, guidelines have been put in place to limit the amount of time a child is allowed to work at the keyboard. It is as equally important for a child to have an ergonomically designed office chair as it is for an adult - if not more so. This is something that many teachers or parents don’t actually recognise. A young child’s spine is still developing and need the correct support and comfort to ensure healthy growth.
Within the business world more large businesses are buying into the concept that ergonomically designed office furniture is an important part of the health and safety process. Businesses source items such as adjustable office chairs and office desks specifically designed to ensure there are no problems with backache. Ergonomic furniture provides a happy productive workforce.
Currently this way of thinking is not applied to schools and it has been reported that one in three back related injuries can be traced back to childhood. The British Chiropractic Association has revealed that twenty nine percent of children surveyed had complained of some sort of back pain to their parents. Thirty eight percent of parents reported they worry about their child’s posture.
Peter Buckle, Professor at the Robens Centre for Health Ergonomics at Surrey University commented:
“Most people have risk assessments at work and companies call in specialists to look at how to minimise back strain and introduce the correct office chairs and general office furniture to stop these issues, but few schools are taking this kind of advice.”
When designing your own home office set yourself a budget to work with. Achieving maximum functionality does not have to cost a fortune if you plan wisely and research your office furniture choices wisely. The main bulk of the budget will be spent on your office furniture pieces as these will provide the most functionality and ultimately allow you to be as productive as possible.
Set out simple requirements to help you drill down on the choice of furniture available. This will avoid you overstretching your budget and choosing office furniture that offers functionality over an above your needs. For example when choosing a desk you may decide the main functions should be that it can provide space for your computer and keyboard plus provide storage space. The more concise you are about your requirements the less danger there is of overspending and cluttering your office space.
Next look at the type of accessories you require. Make sure they are useful and will help productivity and organisation rather than simply take up room.
To further shave off costs, try looking for items on the internet. When buying office chairs for example you can dramatically reduce costs by buying over the internet.
To do a good job at work you need to be relaxed. Here are some top tips to be relaxed at work:
Have a Good Breakfast
Relaxing in the workplace is much easier with a full, happy tummy! Have a well balanced breakfast before you to work. The best food is oats as this slowly releases energy and will keep you full until lunch.
Shake Those Shoulders
The ability to relax is often thought as a mental process but there are physical exercises that can help the body to relax. If your shoulders are heavy or tense with the pressures of work sitting at your office desk shrug your shoulders and then let them drop. Do it five times and feel the pressure falling away.
Keep Laughing
This is still a number one tip for being relaxed. Laughter is always the best medicine and a top stress buster.
Watch the Time
One of the best ways of relaxing is to tackle areas of stress. If you are constantly late or always put things off for another day you will be in a constant state of stress. Getting rid of these stresses will not only relax you but will keep bosses and colleagues happy. Eliminating stress will increase your health. Get to work a little early each day and try to complete any tasks that have been hanging over you before you end the day.
There are many reports to say that good office design and well thought out office furniture choices increase staff motivation and productivity, however, how does this specifically translate into the workplace? How can a colour scheme or the position of the office desks affect business so positively?
Encouraging Communication in the Workplace
This basic concept aids interaction between staff and teams without intruding on individual working styles and can be very effective when trying to instil a certain culture throughout an organisation.
Adding Home Comforts in a Cutting Edge Design
To create a relaxed environment marry contemporary furniture with stylish sofas and widescreen TVs so that employees and clients alike will feel welcome and at home. To further inspire staff, add welcoming cafes and seating areas or games rooms where staff can unwind in their breaks. This will be seen as a benefit and this is what keeps staff loyal.
Inspiring Spaces
Keep work spaces light and airy to avoid eye strain and to keep staff motivated and alert. Natural daylight will make staff feel more energised and happy in the work place.
Flexible Design
Choosing funky office furniture that can be freestanding and placed around the office will create a quirky feel and encourage creativity and fun.
It has been long accepted that the office environment and the type of office furniture selected can have a huge impact on the employees. More companies than ever are taking this on board, but there is one company that has taken this concept to the core of their business culture.
Google has embraced the use of funky office furniture to create a vibrant, creative work ethic.
There is even a slide that takes you from the work place down into the canteen. Now that is guaranteed to brighten the day of even the most jaded employee!
In complete contrast to the traditional styles of office furniture, office desks and office chairs, Google have opted for office furniture that inspires and expands the imagination of their employees. They provide an unconventional backdrop to the working office with Swiss chalet chairs that are used for meetings held inside igloo pods.
There are also fire poles around the building connecting them to different floors in a fast fun way. At break time, staff can sit in an ambient aquarium room or can chill out in a games room.
There is a spectacular library with lava lamps combined with traditional décor.
In addition to this, Google have hit the targets to show that their staff are more motivated and productive as a result.
If you’re looking to create privacy in a busy office environment then office desk dividers can do just the trick without appearing too imposing and without minimising team work.
In an office where there are large teams of people working together, office desk dividers can form a divide to differentiate between different project teams. They are also useful when trying to use office space more efficiently. These free standing walls can create different work spaces and separate different groups of workers into areas of function or speciality. They reduce noise levels and the amount of distraction in the workplace such as loud switchboard calls and noisy work colleagues.
When looking at dividing a large office into several smaller work spaces using office desk dividers, first take time to measure the space first. Also, measure the office furniture such as office desks and freestanding filing cabinets to ensure you allow enough room.
Try to space the work areas equally to be aesthetically pleasing and to make the space as comfortable as possible for staff.
Speak to the employees before you implement such a new structure, particularly if you are moving workstations. Ask them if they feel it will make a difference to their productivity.
When designing a workplace you need to bear in mind how the surroundings will affect the staff. It has been proven that good design and ambient décor can positively affect productivity and the general wellbeing of staff.
When choosing colours for the office, calming tones such as subtle blues and soothing purples are best. For a professional look choose earthy tones such as fawn brown, or for warm inviting looks paint the walls in hues of red and orange. More vibrant colours add a creative edge to any office and provide a bright backdrop for contemporary office furniture.
When decorating a home office, you again need to look at how colours affect you psychologically when working. You need to create a welcoming and pleasant working environment so that you find it easy to sit down and get started.
Try to make sure you have plenty of natural light in the office as this is the best light to work with. Choose only office furniture and accessories that are necessary to avoid clutter and which ensure you have plenty of space.
Buy fresh flowers for your office and add a few well chosen personal ornaments to reflect your personality.
If your work allows you to be based at home then it makes a lot of sense to set up an office in your house. There are many advantages to working form home such as saving money on taxes and also the high costs of renting office space. Where ever you choose to work at home you need to ensure you have spec to organise your finances and pay any bills.
Here are some tips to setting up the perfect office space:
Take time to write down on a piece of paper the basic requirements you need for an office.
Next, pick a space or room in the house that has access to electric sockets and is also network accessible.
Choose an office desk that is both comfortable and also fits the space available in the room. It should also be able to accommodate office equipment such as a computer and keyboard, telephone and allow enough room to work with all your documents.
You need a fast internet connection that allows you to communicate quickly by email and also download any files easily.
Also invest in a combination fax and printer to cut back on space usage. Another idea is to choose a computer desk rather than a simple office desk.
Today there is a massive choice of office furniture items available to buy either online or on the high street.
If you like to shop online you’ll find that buying your office furniture pieces over the internet is cheaper, easier and faster to do than ever before.
Choosing the internet route to buy is the easiest choice for companies and individuals who have limited time available to shop around for furniture. One of the most popular items to choose over the internet is the office desk. There are many furniture sites available that stock this item and provide information on dimensions, multi angled pictures, a standard returns policy, great delivery turnaround times and a top customer service team to answer any question over the phone before purchase and after the sale.
There tends to be a wider choice available online and it is easy to search for specific requirements online using search engines.
Where office chairs are concerned comfort is the number one driver when choosing a chair, so look out for ergonomic designs. This will ensure your staff are comfortable and are therefore more productive. If you can stretch a budget to an ergonomically designed desk then that’s even better.
There are many jobs available these days that can promise a successful career working from home, however, on second glance, are not all they sell themselves to be. However there are true opportunities available and it is becoming a possibility for more people thanks to the internet.
One of the main benefits is that you can create a soothing and tranquil work environment in your own home away from demanding bosses and staff related issues.
An example of such a job is for those with medical degrees. You can very easily create a good career by writing medical transcriptions for hospitals and local authorities. The only equipment you need is a laptop or computer, your own office chair and a good office desk.
Other jobs that can be carried out from home are freelance roles and copywriting for example. There are also regional sales positions that require you to be based from home with the need to travel now and again to client meetings or the head office.
Another role is working as a qualified accountant. Many choose to run their business from home and see clients either at a neutral meeting point or at their home office.
