Building a sustainable workspace

From large enterprises to small businesses, every organisation has been thrust at lightning speed towards the new world of work. The post-pandemic outlook will be a hybrid of remote work and traditional office settings.

The abrupt change has forced businesses to find innovative ways to work and support their employee’s needs, physically and operationally. This includes adopting new technology to setup sustainable workspaces and ensuring environments are legally safe and compliant under Work Health and Safety mandates.

Valeria Johnson, HR & Payroll Manager, Dicker Data says, “The workforce as we know it will never be the same. COVID-19 has created a new normal workplace, in people’s homes. As organisations look to adapt and future-proof their workforce, they will need to ensure their teams are equipped and set up with sustainable, effective and ergonomic workspaces.”

To help you set up a future-proof remote workspace, Dicker Data have outlined the top factors to consider.

Workspace 101 – where to start?

According to Safe Work Australia, employers must eliminate or minimise risks to the health and safety of remote workers, so far as is reasonably possible.

An ergonomic workstation is key to mitigating the risk of workers sustaining a musculoskeletal injury and ending up with a pain in the neck. While employers have less control over a worker’s home office, they have a duty of care to consult, guide and set expectations on what an adequate and functional workstation looks like. Beyond virtual workspace examinations and self-assessment check lists, employers need to think about the nuts and bolts of employee health and as well as business productivity.

1. Back to basics

From standing desks and chairs to portable devices that allow for frequent movement, office equipment needs to be fit for purpose and catered to individual requirements. For instance, health experts recommend your desk should be situated such that your thighs comfortably fit underneath, and your chair allows your feet to be flat on the ground. Educate your team on how an ergonomically correct workspace is configured.

2. Setting up your work zone

When used for long periods, office equipment has the potential to significantly impact health. From eye strain and back pain to severe muscular sprains, it is vital employers educate staff on how to design and layout workstations so their ergonomic.

• Laptops – while they offer flexibility and portable movements, they are not ergonomic for permanent use, due to their stationary and connected design of the screen, mouse and keyboard.
• Monitors – ideally these should include tilt and swivel features to prevent glare and adjusted to the user’s eye level to ensure proper head positioning.
• Keyboards – suggested to be at elbow height and should be either flat or have a negative tilt to avoid wrist strain.

3. In sync with digital solutions

As we navigate these unprecedented times, businesses need to explore new ways of working not only to maintain business continuity but embrace digital solutions to enrich human work experiences and reimagine the world of work.

Australia’s Tech Future Report, conducted by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources suggests embracing new technology including automation and harnessing the power of machines could significantly boost Australia’s productivity and national income, by up to $2.2 trillion by 2030.

It’s clear digitally equipping your team with modern and durable technology will be the key to unlocking greater productivity, working experiences and overall business output.

• Staying connected in a virtual world has never been so important. By uniting culture and technology, employers can harness the power of digital tools to improve employee connection, engagement and team collaboration.
• Video and audio conferencing for team collaboration. Controlling variables at home can be a challenge. Integrated tools like visual and audio capabilities allow you to optimise workflows, teamwork and professional presentation. This includes background noise cancelation, lighting and portable options to move around during calls.
• Moving to the cloud. This has proven to be both a productive and cost-effective transition. With the ability to improve connectivity between not only people and business continuity, a multi-cloud ecosystem enables a seamless working experience and pandemic-proof future.

Dicker Data works with leading vendors to deliver technology and solutions for its partners

As organisations make the move to a post-pandemic office space, here are our top product recommendations to set up a workspace for the future:

• Logitech Brio Webcam & Keyboards + Mice: this ergonomically designed mouse and keyboard provides a comfortable workflow over long periods of time.
• Poly Voyager UC Headsets and Eagle Eye Cube USB Camera: enables smoother conference calls on the go with convenient wireless headsets, quality camera with framing capabilities and noise cancelling features.
• APC Back-UPS: data security and staying connected is high on the productivity agenda. APC’s backup battery offers guaranteed power and surge protection for wireless networks, computers, gaming consoles and other electronics in your home/remote office.
• Targus Universal Dock: docking stations are the key to staying connected especially from multiple devices and technology tools (including audio, video and data syncing support through to additional computer and television screen extensions), maximising user experiences with seamless connectivity and creating efficient home workstations.
• LG Electronics IT Desktop Monitors: with blue light and IPS technology offering clearer views in monitors, workers can minimise eye strain when working for long periods.