Ergonomics and Modern Workspace Design

At the end of the nineteenth century, Frederick Winslow Taylor went to work at Bethlehem Steel. Upon observing the workers shoveling coal, Taylor had an idea. He assigned each worker a shovel that was of a size and weight ideally suited to the worker's own body structure. With the new shovels, the workers became triply effective, Bethlehem Steel was able to reduce its cost by half, and get the same amount of work out of 140 employees that it once got out of 400.

Today, few businesses need concern themselves with optimizing their employees' coal-shoveling potentialities, but workers are breaking their backs at a whole new kind of grind, spending up to fourteen hours a day at a desk in front of a computer. That is why ergonomics, the study and integration of human well-being principles into systems designs, has become an integral part of the creation of modern workspaces.

There are several areas of ergonomics to consider when designing or redesigning an office space. Arguably the most important of these is the physical aspect. The average worker pushes his or her body to the limit every day simply by sitting in a chair, motionless save for fingers flashing over the keyboard, and hands and arms controlling the mouse.

It doesn't seem like a punishing physical task, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Repetitive stress Injuries (RSIs), such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, are the single fastest-growing work-related illness, costing businesses as much as 30 billion dollars a year, and all due to just sitting at a desk typing.

Physical ergonomics, then, is concerned with office tools and supplies geared towards allowing people to work efficiently, productively, and painlessly. The major product issues in this category surround chairs, keyboards, and mice. There are many of these type of 'ergonomic' products on the market, but experts say that virtually none of these actually do the job right..

A huge demand for ergonomic office furniture and supplies has led to an unfortunate wave of products being advertised as 'ergonomic,' when they are anything but. At this point, there is absolutely no system in place regulating what can or cannot be marketed as such, so it's wise to shop around. Ergonomists suggest that businesses consult - surprise, surprise - ergonomists, before overhauling a work environment.

However, without resorting to a process of drastic remodeling, employers can vastly improve physical ergonomics by providing free classes in which workers can learn to use their own bodies ergonomically. After all, you can have the best office chair in the world, but if you don't know how to sit in it, you will always be uncomfortable. Classes in the Alexander Technique, tai Chi, and yoga can do huge things for physical health in the workplace, and lead to a reduction in work-related injuries, which in turn shrinks the cost to businesses of paying out for sick days and sick workers.

Another crucial area of ergonomics is engineering psychology, or cognitive ergonomics. This area is born out of the philosophy that a happy worker is a productive worker, and to be happy, a worker has to not dread going in to the office every day. Cluttered, messy, overwhelming, or generally unpleasant workstations are the cause of this ennui for more than 50% of all office employees in the US, according to a recent Logitech survey.

The word of the day in ergonomic workspace design is to say goodbye to those cubicles! In practice, open, dynamic work areas are proving to be hotbeds of employee creativity and productivity. It is true that privacy is often cited as a workplace must-have, but the benefits of a spatially unrestricted environment in which workers are able to easily collaborate, communicate, and problem-solve are far greater.

A 'war room' style workspace, or what is called 'radical collocation' is gaining in popularity amongst fast-growing IT businesses. This environment normally involves a large, open space with tables around the center for collaborative work, and more enclosed spaces around the edge of the room for solo projects and private conferences.

Ideally, these workspaces will be furnished as dynamically as possible, with lightweight, easily movable furniture that can be regularly reconfigured to meet the needs of the day. Studies show that employees who are given the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of their work environment demonstrate high levels of commitment to their jobs, which translates into increased productivity, low turnover rates, fewer sick days, and even increased neatness and conscientious behavior.

This sort of open, flexible environment also provides ample opportunity for workers to move around, which has both cognitive and physical ergonomic benefits. Staying in the same position, at the same desk, day after day, is not conducive in allowing human beings to function at their best.

Rather than assigning desks, ergonomic workspace design involves employees being able to move freely from workstation to workstation, library to hot desk to breakout room, depending on what they need to do. This strategy works best in a wireless environment, and overall leads to reduced clutter, increased creativity and job commitment, and better employee health.

For a new business, beginning ergonomically is a must. It is an investment in cutting future costs by ensuring the on-site well-being of employees. When starting from scratch, ergonomic design can actually be cheaper than creating a conventional office environment, because it eliminates many of the expensive borders and limitations - everything from walls to wiring - that so many drab, gray, airless office spaces labor under.

For an established business, coming around to ergonomics can prove to be a great expense, and with so many products and services out there pushing themselves as the ergo-solution of the day, it can be hard not to go over-budget. However, the time of the isolated, burnt-out cubicle employee is drawing to a close, and to compete with the satisfied, energized workers found in modern office spaces, traditional businesses are going to have to come around eventually.

In the end, it's just a matter of identifying the point at which the costs of dealing with unhappy, uncomfortable workers begins to be outweighed by the benefits of making the change in favor of better quality work, lower absenteeism, consistently met deadlines, and fewer errors. Yes, the transition to ergonomic workspace design can be expensive, but ultimately, it could save your business.

Article written for BizSession.com http://www.BizSession.com

QClix.com Article Team http://www.QClix.com

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Improve Your Golf Swing by Improving Your Tempo

We have all heard the word tempo in relation to the golf swing. Announcers on television speak of the great tempo Ernie Els has in his golf swing. What does tempo mean to the amateur and their golf swing?

Tempo in the golf Swing

Tempo in the golf swing is a combination of many parts. Tempo is part timing in all aspects of the golf swing. It is part sequencing of each position within the golf swing, and it is part feel. Putting all these golf swing parts together creates tempo in your own golf swing.

Interconnecting each phase of the golf swing; address, take-away, backswing, transition, downswing, impact, and follow through is one part of tempo, Performing each of these phases with the correct timing is also tempo. And finally feel for the clubhead is part of tempo.

We can probably say tempo is the end goal of all our practice and time spent on our golf swing. Once we have developed tempo in the golf swing, there is definitely a level of mastery within it.

How Do We Develop Tempo in the golf Swing?

A great question that does not have a simple answer: Developing tempo in the golf swing is a task that requires patience, practice, and time. There really are no short cuts to developing it within your golf swing. One practice session at the driving range will not do it. The use of a single training aide will not get you there. The implementation of a golf fitness program will not achieve this task on its own.

I say this because developing a PGA Tour type golf swing requires a basket of tools in your arsenal. Developing tempo and a silky smooth golf swing requires you to:

* Receive proper instruction on the fundamentals of the golf swing

* Maintain a consistent practice schedule with your golf swing

* Use swing drills to develop every as of your golf swing

* The possible implementation of training aides into your practice sessions

* Implementing of golf fitness program to develop your body around the golf swing.

The basket of tools listed above put together can lead you to developing great tempo in your golf swing. It requires a comprehensive approach in which no short cuts can be made. Lets take a look at the bullet points above to get a better understanding of how to go about this process.

Proper Instruction in the Mechanics of the golf Swing

Learning the fundamentals of the golf swing is key to developing tempo. This can be achieved through quality instruction. This will allow your body to learn the nuances of the swing. This is the first step in developing tempo.

Consistent Practice of the golf Swing

As they say practice makes perfect. In order for your body to learn and be able to repeat to proper mechanics of the golf swing, you must practice on a consistent basis. The body learns biomechanical movements through repetition. The golf swing is no different. Repetition through proper practice session is the second key to developing tempo.

Swing Drills to Develop the golf Swing

The golf swing as a whole is one of the most intricate athletic movements to perform. In its entirety, it is a very difficult movement to perform and master. It is best when learning the golf swing to break it down into parts. Breaking the golf swing down into segments allows you more easily to master each phase of the swing. This is accomplished through the implementation of golf swing drills. Swing drills break the swing down into manageable parts.

Training Aides in Association with Your golf Swing Drills

Training aides assist the body in developing the golf swing. Think of training aides as training wheels on a bicycle. They simply help your body learn certain movements and positions associated with the golf swing.

Implementing a Golf Fitness Program

Your body swings the golf club and performs the biomechanics of the golf swing. In order to perform the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly. It is necessary for your body to have certain levels of flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, and power. If your body is lacking any of this aforementioned list learning the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly will be very difficult. A golf fitness program is the final key to developing tempo in your golf swing.

Summary

To summarize the development of tempo in your golf swing requires a basket of tools. Tempo requires; proper instruction on the golf swing, consistent practice of your golf swing mechanics, the utilization of swing drills, training aides, and a golf fitness program. Put all of these aspects together and a golf swing with tempo will be yours.

About the Author

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

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Why Can't We Invent a Toilet That Flushes ... Forever?!

All I wanted for my birthday was for my toilets to work. Well, thats not really the only thing; its just high on an extensive list. You see, Ive lived in the same townhome for seventeen years this month and things are beginning to decay, along with its owner, but Ill get to that later.

I only have a few dislikes in life; two of them that I really detest are: stoplights and malfunctioning and obstinate toilet mechanisms.

Stoplights are easy to hatethey turn red when youre in a hurry and dont want to stop, plus, we so much waste gas sitting at them. I probably waste more gas by driving around the block to avoid them. Why havent more American cities utilized the roundabout that much of the world utilizes?

Toilets are another story altogether.

They often continue to fill wasting precious water because the design of the internal mechanism is archaic. Ostensibly, theres a black ball that is supposed to float to the surface of the contained water and shut off the valve when the tank is full. Well, it never floats high enough and constantly requires time and attention.

Having reached that frustrating station in life where the toilet is becoming a close personal friend, because of too much coffee, tea, wine, water, or whatever, I now visit my confidante during the night more than I used to.

Finishing my business, I sleepily get back into bed while the toilet is filling. I wait, thinking the contraption will shut off eventually. I pull a pillow over my head, so I wont hear what Im thinking about. But its still there, running monotonously.

Peeved, I get up, take the tank lid off, pull up the rod, slam the lid back on and storm off to bed. But now, Im too upset to get back to sleep. Brother, I gotta get a life or more patience.

In my usual pragmatic manner, I really tried to solve the problem: Ive bent the rod attached to the ball to make it lower, given the intellectual understanding that the pressure of being further under water would add more force on the ball to surface; Ive lubricated the valve with so much WD-40 that an oily film now coats the inside of the tank; Ive extended the ball to the absolute end of the rod, thinking that if it was further from the valve and lower in the water it had to pop up and shut the system off.

Right.

In a world with of such fancy gadgetry like: cell phones that take pictures and connect to the Internet, satellite guided navigation systems mounted in the dash of your car; wireless hand-held computers; watches that do everything but make coffee; his and hers individualized inflatable mattresses complete with a sleep numbering system; implanted chips in our pets to identify them if they get lostwhy cant we invent a toilet that flushes, forever!?!

I know I know, I should just be happy and grateful that there arent any telemarketers bugging me at 5:15 pm each night anymore. Did you ever notice that they never sell new and improved toilet flushers? I should just eat mass quantities of chocolate, it's supposed to help men cope.

Anyway you look at it, toilets are a pain in the butt (sorry, I couldnt resist myself).

Long years ago, my Dad remodeled his bathroom. The color of the era was pink. This past year, the toilet went kaput and a new one was needed, but do you think a pink one could be found? No one sells pink anymore, we were told. Not even to Mary Kay with her pink Cadillacs?

And whats up with padded toilet seats? I hope I dont get any of those for my birthday. I hate it when I go to someones home and theres a padded toilet seat. They just dont seem natural. How do you clean it? Theyre just weird to me.

And where did the blue water things go? None of my friends use them anymore, did blue go out of favor just like pink? I digress.

Well, to be forthright, Ive already solved the problem. Or I should say my Dad did. He couldnt stand the toilets running on either (its a family thing), so I bought the replacements and he changed all three of them for me as a birthday gift...how bout that?

Thanks, Dad. I love being a kid, even if, an inept, 58 year-old one.

These new flushers are revolutionary though, no ball, no rod...no foolin. Its a self-contained plastic mechanism thats a complete mystery, just like Santa Claus.

The only obvious drawback is when it stops working, I cant bend, submerge, oil or extend anything. Ill have to buy a new one. Therein lies the rub: planned obsolescence. The manufactures are always a step ahead of us, huh?

Well, at least its one item that I can check off my All I want for birthday list. I wonder if Ill get the Ronco onion chopper or the Chia pet Ive ask for? Hmmm.

Anyway you look at it, it's fun to ponder.

Keith E. Renninson is a motivational speaker and co-author of the popular parenting tool and illustrated storybook "Zooch the Pooch, My best Friend". through the 1990's with much self-examination, academic study, bicycle racing, and mountain climbing, he discovered a renewed zest of life, which included a love of metaphysics, philosophy, humor, and writing and speaking. As Keith says, "Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue...it's all in what you make of it." You can read more about "Zooch the Pooch" or contact Keith to speak at: http://www.zoochthepooch.com Keith and his co-author Michael Conrad Kelley speak to teens and adults on "The Seven Simple steps to a More Fulfilling Life." This course focuses on how to build a successful Life Philosophy that works for each individual.

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