November 12, 2023

Financial uncertainty, wellbeing and supply chain disruption revealed as top risk factors

According to new research by Marsh, an insurance broker and risk advisor, companies across the UK are most concerned about the impact of financial uncertainty (34 percent), employee health and wellbeing (31 percent) and supply chain disruption (23 percent) on their businesses over the next 12 months. The findings come from Marsh’s UK Business Risk Report 2023 [registration], which features data obtained in May and June 2023 from over 2,100 UK businesses with turnover of between £100,000 and £500 million + per year. Now in its third year, the report explores how circumstances over the last 12 months have impacted the business risk appetite and approach to risk management among UK companies, and identifies their priorities for the year ahead. More →

November 3, 2023

Reimagining the workplace: three keys to wellbeing, connection, and change

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Miller Knoll has introduced a new framework that helps organisations uncover the purpose of their workplace. The approach addresses the human needs of employees to improve their wellbeing, fosters a sense of community and connection, and helps organisations navigate, prepare, and design for change. The firm sets out its thinking here. More →

October 11, 2023

Logitech introduces ergonomic wave keys to boost worker comfort and wellbeing

by Freddie Steele • Company news

Logitech has unveiled Wave Keys and Wave Keys for Business, a wireless ergonomic keyboard to address the increased need for wellbeing and comfort at the desk. Wave Keys features a signature wave design in a compact layout for comfier typing that does not require relearning how to type, as well as an integrated cushioned palm rest for day-long support. As individuals of all ages spend more time in front of their computers, ergonomic needs are on the rise with a growth rate of 4.6% over the next seven years, according to the recent published market report by RationalStat.

“We believe that everybody deserves to feel good at the end of a day of work, so we set about designing workspace essentials that are as attractive and approachable as they are ergonomic,” said Art O’Gnimh, general manager of the Core Personal Workspace business at Logitech. “Wave Keys has workspace wellbeing at its heart, thanks to its science-driven design with a stamp of approval from leading ergonomists.”

Wave Keys’ unique wave shape places hands, wrists and forearms in a natural typing position, and the integrated cushioned palm rest gives more wrist support throughout the day. Its compact layout fits many home or office desks, with three classic colourways to complement your workspace setup – Graphite, Off-White, and Rose (Rose available in 2024 in select markets).

Wave Keys is designed in line with Logitech’s goal to create product experiences that improve people’s lives. This means considering environmental and social impacts as part of every design decision. Wave Keys is certified carbon neutral, just like the rest of Logitech products, and the paper packaging comes from FSC™-certified forests and other controlled sources. The plastic parts in Wave Keys include certified post-consumer recycled plastic to give a second life to end-of-use plastic from old consumer electronics – 61% for Graphite and 46% Off-White.

This multi-OS compatible keyboard connects via Bluetooth, or the included Logi BOLT receiver for enhanced security, to up to three devices at once such as Mac, PC and iPad, and easily switches between them at the tap of a button. For smoother days at the desk, users can personalise their experience with the Logi Options+ App to assign productivity shortcuts, such as “Do not disturb” to remain focused in your work, and create Smart Actions that save time and keep work flowing, including a one-touch morning routine to help you easily start your day and a relax time that provides well-deserved rest throughout the day.

Wave Keys is the latest addition to Logitech’s ERGO Series, alongside Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse and other products for workplace wellbeing, and upholds the company’s human centred and science-driven approach to product design and experiences. The keyboard was carefully crafted with rounds of user testing including at Logitech’s Ergo Lab and has a stamp of approval from US Ergonomics.

Ready for Business

For companies that prioritise employee wellbeing, Wave Keys for Business introduces a new ergonomic keyboard, ideal for employees who are ergo-conscious and looking for a keyboard that is comfortable with instantly familiar typing. The keyboard is equipped with Logi Bolt secure wireless technology, allowing IT teams to mass deploy a comfortable, easy-to-use keyboard to their entire global workforce, with global customer support, to Windows,macOS, Chrome OS, and other leading operating systems.

Wave Keys for Business comes with Logi Bolt wireless technology to deliver reliable connections even in congested wireless environments, and is engineered to meet today’s increasingly strict enterprise security standards. IT teams can remotely monitor the keyboards through Logitech Sync to ensure their team’s devices are healthy and up to date. The Logi Options+ App is also available for mass deployment to employees for a customised user experience, including streamlining repetitive tasks with Smart Actions or configuring keyboard shortcuts.

Pricing and Availability

Wave Keys will be available in Graphite and Off-White beginning October 13, 2023 on www.logitech.com and at other global retailers for a recommended retail price of $59.99 in North America and €79.99 in Europe. The Rose colour will be available in select markets beginning Spring 2024. Wave Keys for Business in Graphite will be available on www.logitech.com and through authorised resellers beginning November 2023

October 5, 2023

New study reveals deteriorating employee wellbeing and eroding trust in employer efforts

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing • Tags: Wellbeing, Workplace

A new study from Alight reveals that 64 percent of the UK workforce would rate their overall wellbeing as low. This comes at a time where economic headwinds, budget cuts and remote work has created a feeling of uncertainty in the UK workforce, heightening the urgency for employers to act fast or compromise employee wellbeing.

September 15, 2023

Wellbeing, flexibility and work-life balance top most employees’ wish list in 2023

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

The latest Employee Wellbeing Data Report [registration] from flexible office provider Mindspace claims that around 9 in 10 employees consider wellbeing facilities and offerings are ‘critical’ when choosing a workplace, and 82 percent expect support from their employers in achieving a work-life balance. The report argues that whilst the trend of ‘quiet quitting’ may be abating and the ‘return-to-office’ mandates are increasing, the survey suggests that attitudes towards the workplace and work-life balance continue to shift, with the majority of employees putting more emphasis on mental and physical health and overall wellbeing. More →

September 8, 2023

The words we borrow from other languages to talk about work and wellbeing

by Mark Eltringham • News, Wellbeing

We are prone to borrow nuanced words from other languages to express ideas that otherwise need some explaining in English. This includes the way we talk about work, and especially the way we talk about wellbeing and happiness. Perhaps most famously, there was a lot of talk about hygge a couple of years ago. A straight dictionary translation of hygge would be something like cosiness, but the word also embodies an emotion and an approach to life that embraces a certain degree of slowness and an enjoyment of the present moment. It’s no coincidence that it became modish in a distracted and hurried world. Although the concept is usually referred to as Danish, the word itself is shared with Norwegian, which also offers us the word koselig, which means cosiness but also hints at it being best enjoyed at a fireside. More →

August 7, 2023

Wellbeing of HR professionals yet to return to pre-pandemic levels

by Mark Eltringham • HR, News, Wellbeing

The wellbeing of HR professionals has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, with UK HRs in particular lagging at times behind their global counterparts when coping with today’s challenging economic and operating conditions. This is according to a three-year comparative research project by Culture Amp and Thrive at Monash Business School, which found that in 2020, when the pandemic was first starting to bite, 45 percent of global HRs felt equipped to manage their own personal and work life demands. More →

July 4, 2023

Members of European Parliament back charter to ‘revolutionise workplace wellbeing’

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Members of the European Parliament have backed a new charter from a consortium of organisations that sets out to ‘revolutionise workforce policy’. The Future Workforce Alliance (FWA), a consortium of policymakers, researchers and firms such as Zoom and Remote, has launched the European Charter for Digital Workplace Wellbeing and claims that the step by MEPs signals the beginning of the life/work revolution and solidification of workers’ rights in the face of what it refers to as ‘return to office lobbying’. More →

June 28, 2023

Works roundtable explores the changing face of wellbeing and how to deliver it

by Mick Jordan • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace design, Works Magazine

The first day of Clerkenwell Design Week also marked the first birthday of Works, and we celebrated with a number of industry friends at the Goswell Road showroom of Andreu World. Before we could enjoy a birthday drink, however, we had to earn it, and did so by hosting a panel discussion on the subject of Designing Wellbeing at Work. Together with our elite panel of industry greats – comprising Alice Aldous – Associate at Squire and Partners, Beatriz Gonzalez – Director at Scott Brownrigg, Chris Crawford – Studio Director and Senior Associate at Gensler and Alejandro Pardo – North Europe Area Manager for our generous hosts, Andreu World – we looked to lift the lid on the strategies used to foster wellbeing, productivity, and employee satisfaction in the workplace. More →

June 13, 2023

Lockdown continues to affect people’s mental wellbeing

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing

The Covid lockdowns have left a lasting impact on our mental wellbeing, according to recent polling and an academic study. Events company Hyve Group has partnered with Barbara Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, to uncover the ways in which the pandemic has transformed our brains and how it has impacted our working lives. The study claims to highlight the significance of in-person professional social interactions and their essential role in rebuilding lost connections. More →

May 24, 2023

BCO Awards for Central England continue focus on wellbeing and the environment

by Mark Eltringham • Company news, Property

What are claimed to be the Midlands and Central England’s most outstanding workplaces have been announced, with British Council for Offices Awards going to five office buildings across the region. Held at ICC in Birmingham, the BCO Awards for the region set out to recognise projects that demonstrate best practice in office design, fit-out, operation and sustainability. The organisers claims that the winners of this year’s competition in the Midlands and Central England stand out for their user-centred design credentials, as well as their creative implementation of wellbeing and sustainability measures. More →

May 17, 2023

Environmental concerns and wellbeing continue to dominate BCO Awards

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News, Property, Wellbeing, Workplace design

The BCO Awards for the South of England and South Wales have been announced, with recognition going to six office buildings across the region. Held at The City Hall in Cardiff, the BCO’s annual South of England and South Wales Awards Dinner claims to recognise projects that demonstrate best practice in office design, fit-out, operation and sustainability, setting the standard for excellence across the sector. More →