Tag: office
What are my obligations to nursing mothers?
You’ve got a business, and one of your employees has given birth and had a child. She’s breastfeeding, and you want to know what obligations you have to your employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Never fear: SmartSign is here to help. (Obviously, if you have specific legal questions, we’re not lawyers, and you […]
Your keyboard is dirtier than a toilet seat
It may appear clean and tidy, but just how germ-free is your office? Studies have discovered as many as 25,000 germs per square inch on an office telephone, and, if that isn’t startling enough, consider this: The typical office desk is 400 times dirtier than the average toilet seat, reports EHS Today. Office germs have a noticeable […]
Windowless offices result in less sleep for workers, says study
That sweet corner office isn’t just about the little luxuries, like stretching legs and slamming doors: Being exposed to natural light may have a major impact on worker health, according to a recent case study, reports Co.Design. This small study, led by architects and medical researchers, compared those workers exposed to natural light at work […]
Take a stand: New design concept aims to phase out the office chair
Sitting can be deadly, growing research reveals, causing an array of bodily troubles from organ damage and muscle degeneration to foggy thinking and back pain. One artistic new office design is aiming to combat the negative impact of sitting by eliminating the need for chairs. The project, called “The End of Sitting,” which is, as […]
Workplace diversity increases revenue
More diversity, more revenue? It’s true. We don’t usually think about how many different kinds of people we work with and how it may or may not affect the company, but according to recent studies, there is a link between greater diversity in the workplace and greater profits. Diversity, including diversity of race, gender, age, background and more, […]
Infographic: Hotter offices lead to drop in productivity
Can overheated offices lead to a drop in worker productivity? One study says so. Led by One Poll for the AC and heating company Andrews Sykes Hire, the survey discovered just how hot temperatures impact performance, finding that 30 percent of the 2,000 workers polled took longer lunch breaks during the summer. That extra time […]
New smart sensors are a multifaceted fix for office woes
It may sound like the miracle pill of the 9-to-5 world, but hear us out: New sensor technology can save energy, track employees, and perhaps even improve worker morale. A startup company called Enlightened has developed wireless heat and motion tracking systems to make a heat map of employee movements and more effectively adjust office […]
Office perks: What employees really want
Last week, the Society for Human Resource Management released its annual Employee Benefits Survey. The survey provides comprehensive information about the types of benefits U.S. employers offer employees. The major takeaway from this year’s results: Employers are spending more to keep their employees in good health, even if they have to sacrifice other benefits. According to the […]
Is your open-plan office hurting your health?
Set aside the hand sanitizer for a moment: though prevailing office etiquette suggests sniffly coworkers are the greatest germ-carrying risk, a recent study out of Sweden finds that office design and layout has an unexpected relationship to employee sick time. As EHS Today reports, the study, titled “Office Design’s Impact on Sick Leave Rates,” considered […]
The Office Courtesy Series: Hostile behavior hurts office productivity
Growing up, many of us were taught to “treat others the way you want to be treated,” probably by a parent or teacher. Perhaps you haven’t been reminded of that lesson lately, but many companies would benefit from their employees following the golden rule. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, uncivil behavior at […]