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Conclusion To help your organization skillfully navigate the shift from home-based offices to hybrid and shared workspaces, implement a framework that includes creating ergonomic design guidelines for shared workspace setup, developing best practice guidelines, and compiling resources. When moving into the new world of work, employers building a bridge from the current phase of home-based workspaces to the emerging new territory of hybrid, shared workspaces may encounter a wide range of new challenges and ideas. To effectively deal with these challenges and ideas, create a pathway that works. Employers can start where they are now and develop a 3-fold plan for where they want to go next in the work world, showing a willingness to adapt the plan along the way to create a workspace that works. A special thanks to Vanessa Curtis, formerly with the University of California San Francisco Health Systems, who contributed to the resources portion of this article.
Educational resources Provide training resources that highlight the challenges and solutions unique to office and home-based workstations. To better equip employees, use easy-to-access web-based training, videos, tip sheets, eLearning, and self-assessment tools like Cardinus’ Healthy Working for home- based working . Make these resources readily available and encourage employees to use a safer workspace set-up and to maintain correct postures to reduce the risk of injury. While the ergonomics teams in some organizations are available to help and provide additional support, the online training and risk assessments teach each employee to take ownership of individual work habits, equipment, environment, and safety. These tools ensure each employee can adjust shared on-site workstations and individual home-based workstations to create a safe working environment. Equity Whether you’re making changes to existing workstations, converting single-user stations, shared workstations, or home- based spaces, it makes sense to provide
If the staff work from home for a specified number of days each week, the department can potentially purchase the recommended items. Another strategy used, connects Centralized Funding to the telework agreement. 1. Staff working remotely must have an updated telework agreement with Human Resources. 2. If staff work from home for an agreed-upon number of days per week, they are provided with a unique link to purchase specified UC pre-set furniture options. For example, ergonomics chairs and desks are offered in various sizes. 3. Ergonomic furniture/equipment is paid from a central cost center. No additional approvals are needed from the department or ergonomist. Effective resource management in this shifting workspace calls for a multi-team approach. Ergonomics can be brought in as an essential part of the team along with Human Resources, Environment, Health and Safety, and Facilities. Working together can ensure employees receive the answers they need for health, safety, and productivity.
Temperature control is another factor to contemplate in multi-use spaces. Infection control is vital. Because of the global pandemic, sanitizing may be necessary. Since employees are switching workspaces, it’s important to implement a “reset” program for cleaning and storage. Contact the person responsible for your organization’s EHS for protocols and guidance. Coordinating a sanitization process allows for safe and effective ways to address workspace safety, cleaning, and infection control. To assist with this process, innovations are arising in manufacturing including washable keyboards and easy to clean fabric for chairs. • Introducing health and wellness components such as frequent postural changes, micro-breaks and 20/20/20 eye breaks (look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes), hydration breaks, and breath awareness techniques can help to reduce injuries and increase employee productivity. UC uses a variety of campus-based tip sheets.
Beyond online training, consider offering simple tools for staff to readily review like YouTube videos about setting up safe workstations at home and one-page tips sheets like Workstation Adjustment Tip Sheets . When creating these documents, remember to factor in accessibility and readability. When allocating resources, remember the same equipment doesn’t work for everyone. For example, employees in small apartments won’t have much room for home office furniture, so the addition of a big desk or another chair may not be workable. Funding sources Funding must make sense (cents). Some organizations are reducing their leased spaces, using this decrease in rent to fund ergonomic furniture for on-premises and at-home work. When devising innovative strategies for funding, the University of California has two options, Departmental and Centralized Funding. The University can use Departmental Funding for home furniture and will link it to ergonomics. 1. Remote work from home staff can request ergonomic evaluations. 2. The ergonomics program can then recommend furniture and accessories.
Julia Jensen is an Ergonomic Specialist
at the University of California, San Diego. She has devoted her professional career to creating innovative and practical ways to empower employees to work safer and better. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, completed a graduate-level program in Occupational, Health, and Safety at San Diego State University. Julia brings over 20 years of experience in Occupational Health and Safety. Her professional experience includes work as an Ergonomic Office and Industrial Consultant, a Corporate Safety Training Manager and Trainer, a Certified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and the Co-founder of an Ergonomic products company providing ergonomic products nationwide.
equitable needs-based resources. Allow for easy access to an array of resources for guidance on shared workspace use and adjustment.
Pillar three: Compile resources When developing resources, consider including educational resources, equity and funding sources.
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