(Time to read this Blog is about 3 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Biz Quote of the week:
   “When we don’t have a clear Vision for the future of our business, our business as we best understand it is our business as it just was.  Last year is over, we’ve looked at the numbers, and we go out and hire people for the immediate past, rather than hiring people who can help us get to where we need to be in 3 to 5 years.”
   …Donald Cooper.
    
2. Quick Biz Tip:
   Having two Wills can save big money on Probate Fees.    
    
   If you own a privately held incorporated business, you can save big money for your estate by having two Wills. The 2^nd Will deals with the shares in your company that can be passed on according to your wishes without having to be subject to the often lengthy and expensive Probate process.
    
   Ask your lawyer and accountant about this.
    
3. ‘Hybrid work’ update. A recent survey of 4,500 companies, worldwide, shows that the number of employees working in a hybrid model (some days in the office and some days working from home) has increased from 51% to 58% in just the last 3 months. As I reported last week, many employees now consider ‘hybrid work’ to be a right, not a privilege. 
    
4. Shocking! The US Institute for Highway Safety reports that 11 teens die in America every day due to texting while driving. 
    
5. Management development is key. A recent Gallup (a research company) survey shows that effective managers are the key to employee engagement, retention, productivity and trust.  But, it appears that 99% of employers don’t provide effective training to help managers understand how to meet business commitments and mange and engage their team.
    
   In many businesses, top performers at doing ‘things’ are promoted to being managers of people, which requires a completely different skill set…but for which they’re given little or no training.  It generally ends badly, but it happens over and over again.
    
   If you’d like help in mentoring and growing your managers and greatly improving their effectiveness, perhaps we should chat.  I’m easy to find at donald@donaldcooper.com.

Now, to this week’s important topic:

The importance of ergonomics in employee wellbeing and productivity:

‘Ergonomics’… The application of physiological and psychological principles to the engineering and design of workplaces, products and systems so that they fit the people who use them.  

The 10 tips below relate to the importance of good ergonomics in an office setting.  But good ergonomic principles are equally important in a factory, warehouse, construction or any other work setting. 

A few years ago, I visited an Auto Parts Warehouse where the ‘pick error rate’ was off the charts.  It was costing the company big bucks and many lost customers.  I pointed out that the low light level in the warehouse made it impossible for the order pickers to see the product #’s on the bins.  Hence, the high ‘pick error rate’.  They fixed the lighting and the ‘pick errors’ immediately stopped.

10  Tips to improve productivity and wellbeing in your office:

1. Conduct ergonomic assessments. Consider contracting an ergonomic specialist
   who can assess employees’ workstation needs on an individual basis and help you implement
   ergonomic solutions. These specialists will be a great resource when considering which
   products to purchase.
    
2. Make seating comfortable and adjustable. Good posture is important to comfort and
   well-being. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a chair. Look for
   something comfortable that allows a user to adjust the height, backrest, and armrests to suit
   his or her body type. A good office chair will support the lower back.  Feet should reach the
   floor (if not, a foot rest will help).
    
3. Select a good monitor. Purchase good quality computer screens. Make sure the
   text characters on the screen look sharp, are high in contrast and are
   a comfortable viewing size. Monitors should be placed at a comfortable height that doesn’t
   make users tilt their heads excessively up or down.  When seated comfortably, a user’s eyes
   should be in line with the top of the display (about 2-3” below the top of the monitor casing).
    
4. Use ergonomic keyboards and mice. Your employees spend a good part of the day
   with their hands on a mouse and keyboard. Ergonomic keyboards and mice are designed for comfortable posture and reducing stress and injury on hands and wrists. Consider purchasing mice and keyboards that have been designed by ergonomists.
    
5. Properly position keyboards and mice. Place keyboard and mouse at the
   same height, about elbow level. Center keyboards in front of users with mice as close as
   Upper arms should fall relaxed at sides.
    
6. Utilize software and hardware tools. Work efficiency can be improved by
   effectively using the software and hardware features that ship with ergonomic keyboards and
   Many keyboards and mice come with hot keys, wheels, programmable options, and
   other short-cuts for improving productivity.
    
7. Improve lighting. Poorly designed and installed lighting can cause headaches, visual fatigue, irritability low productivity and a higher error rate. In the computerized office, workstation lighting should be lower than traditional industrial workplaces. Desk lamps can supplement lighting for more visually intensive tasks such as reading paper documents.
     
   Note:  If you can’t afford an ergonomic or lighting expert to advise you, there’s a ton of info on Google re effective lighting.
    
8. Provide proper training. New equipment is accompanied by both excitement and stress. To best understand how to use these new tools effectively, employees need to learn how to properly set up and use them. 
    
9. Employee health management. Encourage employees to take breaks throughout the day to exercise both mind and body. Provide medical management and support to handle workers’ compensation claims, provide necessary medical treatment, and get employees healthy and back to work as soon as possible.
    
10. Management support ad evangelization. Embrace the importance and successes of your ergonomics program.  Recognize and celebrate good actions by employees who embrace your commitment to their overall health and wellbeing.

How will you use these 10 tips to improve wellbeing and productivity in your workplace?  

That’s it for this week…

Stay safe…live brilliantly!       

Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.