Office

Health Risks of Office Work and How to Avoid Them

April 24, 2019 by Tim McMahon

At a glance, office work may not seem dangerous. There isn’t a lot of heavy lifting going on and certainly no one wears a hardhat to their desk job. While working in an office may not seem like it could pose any health risks, there are several dangers of working in an office that you should be aware of. The good news is that they are avoidable when the proper measures are taken.

Obesity

Food at parties, meetings, corporate events, and random coworkers bringing in treats all add up to extra calories and extra inches around your waistline. If your company isn’t health-conscious, it may be time to take matters into your own hands. Advocate for healthier options at meetings and in the break rooms and vending machines. Bring your own lunch and stock your drawers with healthy snacks. If you are in a position of power, encourage your subordinates to have walk-and-talk meetings and to take breaks every so often. Get more exercise, take the stairs rather than the elevator, park further from the door take walks during your breaks. There are also several “chair exercises” that you can do right at your desk.

Stress and Depression

Many Americans cite work as one of their top stressors. Causes of stress at work include long hours, lack of support, and large workloads. All of these factors lead to very stressed and depressed office employees. It’s well-known how stress and depression can negatively impact a person’s health; issues range from increased illness to suicide. If you are an office worker, be sure to identify why you are feeling stressed. Talk to your manager about those specific things and try to work out a better plan. Also, be sure to use all of your mental health days! One of the major causes of depression is a lack of vitamin “D” aka. the “sunshine vitamin” and so being in an office all day you probably aren’t getting much sunshine. So if you can add the 5 or 10 minute walk in the sunshine that will help also taking a vitamin supplement can also help make up the deficiency. Of course not all depression is from a vitamin deficiency but it is a good place to start. And once again getting more exercise can also help increase your serotonin levels.

Neck and Back Pain

Sitting for too long or having an improper posture leads to [Read more…] about Health Risks of Office Work and How to Avoid Them

Organize Your Home Office for Better Productivity

January 21, 2019 by Guest Contributor

The number of people working exclusively from home has increased steadily over the last few years with over 5% working from home in 2018 up from about 3% in 2000. But as many as 24% work from home occasionally according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Many of them have home offices and are therefore constantly on the lookout for tricks to help them become more productive. Having an organized office is essential to your productivity, so you need to follow a few simple rules in order to create a real home office.

Instead of working in a chaotic and cluttered space, create an office that will help your business grow and provide you with comfort and coziness of a proper corner office. Here are a few hacks to help you with the basics of a fully functional office.

Comfort is Key

No matter what type of business you do, you need comfortable furniture to be able to pull those long hours. Start with finding the perfect spot for setting up your desk and chair, and try working from there. Many people like utilizing corners and placing their table there, but professional designers recommend creating a focal point in the center of the room. That way, you’ll have plenty of space around your table to add everything you need. You can go for a big desk and dedicate some space for your laptop and paperwork. Apart from that, you can choose an L-shaped desk which will divide the space into two little corners giving you a sense of two tables and leaving you with plenty of room for all of your office supplies you need every day.

When it comes to finding a perfect chair, try finding one that’s comfortable and fits into your office. People have a tendency to buy huge office chairs that take too much space, so measure everything twice before making the purchase.

Add a Personal Touch

Although your basic instincts tell you to remove everything related to your personal life from your office, things aren’t as strict when it comes to personal belongings. Hang a few pictures, add some travel memorabilia, find great inspirational quotes and add a couple of artistic details. These will give you a feeling of a relaxed and comfortable space where you’ll be able to work.

In addition to that, [Read more…] about Organize Your Home Office for Better Productivity

The Impact of Office Layout on Productivity and Engagement

August 14, 2018 by Guest Contributor

Being productive and bringing your “A-game” to the office is harder than most people think. Some days your employees just aren’t in the mood to be the best workers in the world, but you should still try to do whatever you can to keep them inspired. One of the things that can help you is the layout of your office. A bright cheerful atmosphere can go a long way toward increasing productivity. Here are some other things you can introduce to your office in order to encourage productivity on a daily basis.

Enough Maneuvering Space

No matter how big or small your office is, it should always have enough maneuvering space for every individual worker, because being crammed into a tiny space really doesn’t help you get creative and productive. That’s why you need to give everyone their own personal space and a chance to breathe, especially if you want them to be on the top of their game. So, calculate the amount of space you have and divide it by the number of your employees to see how much every single person is going to get, but try to maximize the space as much as you can.

Personal space is the best space

Once you give each employee enough space for their needs, you should also [Read more…] about The Impact of Office Layout on Productivity and Engagement