Are your employees bringing weird things to work?

Why is there a huge yellow exercise ball under that guy’s desk?

Is that a balance board over there?

That back cushion is almost as big as that woman’s chair – where did she get that? 

Are your employees bringing in weird things?

Depending on your company culture, your employees may have several different ways of asking for things. And it varies so much. Companies with open, encouraging cultures usually have a straight-forward method in place – maybe there’s a team captain that starts a process when someone reports discomfort, or a vending machine to go to for a new mouse. But even in the most open, encouraging culture, you’ll still have people who “fall through the cracks,” or who just don’t realize that there is help available to them.

How will you know if this is happening?

One sign is this: They’ll start bringing in weird things. No, I don’t mean Pop Mart collectibles or tiny marquis signs or succulents planted in dinosaur planters.

I mean things that they’re using to try to solve a problem – an ergonomic problem. Things that they’re purchasing without realizing it’s based on pseudo-science or fake/paid reviews, or that it’s not one-size-fits-all.   

They may not be asking you – out loud – for help, but they ARE asking. And if you have an ergonomic program in place, then you can give them the help that they need.

We’re well-versed in separating hard science from pseudo-science, using the right tools to make the environment fit (hint: the lumbar support pillow shouldn’t be bigger than the whole employee), and knowing what adjustments to make to the existing setup to make the employee feel more comfortable.

So, long story short – if you see someone bring in something weird, and you can see them trying to fix an ergonomic problem with it, they’re going to need some help. This would relate not just to furniture and cushions, but also to keyboards, mice, monitor risers, and even exercise equipment. If you have an ergonomic program in place, stop by their desk, and encourage them to sign up for an evaluation.

If you don’t have an ergonomic program in place, we can help you build one. We also have an online training program for employee education. This can integrate into the program that you’re building, or it can be used as a stand-alone program. There’s even an option for virtual evaluations with our experienced, professional evaluators! Reach out any time; we’re happy to help you set up a program that works for you, and for your employees.