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For many of us, our initial working from home set up may now need a re-think into a long-term solution.

Even a basic desk and chair may still not be a reality and the effects of working from the floor, sofa or bed are taking their toll.

Don’t let your new workstation hinder you, there are solutions to make most places in your house safe, comfortable, and inviting.  Here are our tips and top picks of the best products to suit many different home office locations.

Employers may be concerned about the challenges of managing a team of employees working from home. 

Without preparing for a dispersed workforce, there can be risks of lower productivity, reduced security and inadequate health and wellbeing support.

You need the right policies and equipment in place to prevent these problems. When these steps are taken, dispersed working can be a big success.

Are you happy with your home office set up? Does your set-up have your health in mind?

Bad habits can be hard to break but if you do want to me the most productive you can be, you may need to make changes to the way you work.

By adding a few intuitive products and making some small tweaks, you’ll soon be more comfortable in your home office and as a result see yourself becoming more organised and productive.

Working with Fellowes, we have come up with some handy tips to help you achieve better home office organisation.

With International Week of Happiness at Work from 23-27 September 2019, the business of being happy in our workplaces is deservedly receiving attention.

Being happy when we go about our work matters. It affects our morale, loyalty and our ability to carry out roles and responsibilities proactively and efficiently. And without greater happiness as an aim, any workplace wellbeing programme will struggle to succeed.

Employers are legally required to protect employees from stress at work

This requirement covers all organisations, with those employing more than five people expected to produce a written risk assessment to help prevent stress related issues from arising in the first place. 

With 15.4 million days taken off work for work-related stress, depression and anxiety in 2017/18, according to the Labour Force Survey, mental health war responsible for more lost working days than any other single health issue.

Work related stress sees people take an average of 15.8 days each off work, which makes it important for employers to not only improve the support they offer, but also put in place preventive measures.

According to the HSE, the six main areas that can lead to work-related stress are demands, control, support, relationships, role and change.

September sees the start of Vascular Awareness Month and we’re looking at how your workspace can help keep you in good health.

Fellowes have put together some tips to help you create a healthy workspace, starting with your workspace layout.  It’s recommended that you fit it around yourself rather than you fit to the space. Using a workstation solution helps to reduce risk of workplace strain or injury. The 4 Zone Approach from Fellowes is designed to help demonstrate how to adapt your workspace, focusing on your needs, with the aim to improve health and comfort at work and overall productivity.

The number of people working from home has grown steadily over the last decade, with at least 1.5 million of us now cutting out the commute to the office.

The increase flexibility can bring a range of advantages, both for employers and employees, including better work-life balance, reduce travel time, higher motivation and savings in office space costs.

Out of sight isn't out of mind though, as employers have the same responsibility for the health and wellbeing of a home-based employee as they do for someone in the office.

Here are some ways a home worker can be supported:

Getting our heads together is a great way to work

When we collaborate, we’re said to be more innovative and happier, and projects can run more successfully. This can only be a good thing for wellbeing in the workplace, yet we’re not all embracing it yet.

Research has revealed that while a fifth of UK organisations have some form of collaborative technology in place, only 9% are actively using it to full effect.

Here are six ways that collaboration can boost morale and wellbeing:

Putting the issue of employee wellbeing firmly on your radar could be an essential step in making your workspace healthier and more productive

From proactively helping people to stay well, to tackling health issues that can stem from the working environment, to dealing with illness that may be affecting an individual’s ability to work, wellbeing at work matters.

A health and wellbeing day can help any organisation get off to a strong start.

Flexible working is proving a serious attraction for many of us

One survey has found that 76% of those able to work from home are happy with their jobs, while another poll  reveals that 38% of flexible workers feel happier than before, and 36% appreciate having more time to spend with their families.

There are also significant benefits for organisations willing to embrace flexible working among their employees.