April 24, 2024
A new report published by Dialogue Health Technologies Inc., claims that overall wellbeing is at a low point as people struggle with lifestyle challenges around sleep and physical activity. Wellbeing Report: A benchmark for Canadian health, based on data gathered through Dialogue’s Wellbeing Score benchmarking thousands of people across Canada, is indicative of trends seen across the globe. More →
April 2, 2024
Virtual meetings – often derided as impersonal and prone to technical glitches – can improve employee wellbeing and performance, a new study led by a Trinity Business School researcher has found. The research, conducted alongside Karin S. Moser (UniDistance Suisse, University of Queensland), Stefan Diestel (University of Wuppertal) and Isaac Alshaikh (South East Technological University Waterford), conducted during the ongoing shift to hybrid work environments and just published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, concludes that virtual meetings, a staple of the COVID-19 pandemic, are not just a necessity but can also be beneficial. More →
February 29, 2024
Francesca Brady, founder of AirRated who advocates for employee wellbeing and cleaner air in the workplace has been named as a finalist in Veuve Clicquot’s Future Awards, the international awards programme celebrating businesswomen. Previous winners include Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, the inventor of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID vaccine and Jo Whitfield, CEO of Co-Op Food. Francesca’s work highlights the dangers of a polluted workplace, as research shows the link between pollution, cognitive decline, dementia and poor employee wellbeing and mental health. More →
February 19, 2024
Working from home offers a host of benefits: flexible hours, avoiding the commute, and the comfort of your own pyjamas (within reason, of course). But amidst the perks, it’s easy to overlook an often-forgotten aspect: ergonomics. That fancy term simply means designing your workspace to fit you, preventing discomfort and injuries. While ergonomics might seem less crucial in your home office, it’s just as important as in a traditional office setting. Just because you work from home, doesn’t mean things are different when it comes to your wellbeing. More →
February 1, 2024
New research investigating how cost of living pressures are impacting the workforce has found that three quarters (74 percent) of HR leaders fear the cost of living crisis is affecting employee performance. In the survey of 500 UK HR Directors, carried out by Nous.co, a third (34 percent) of HR leaders said they’d noticed a drop in productivity due to employees having other things on their minds. Three quarters (74 percent) said financial pressures were directly affecting employee performance. More →
November 12, 2023
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
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 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
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
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
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 →
January 24, 2024
The final word on workplace wellbeing
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Wellbeing