How To Choose The Right Mouse

Get the full whitepaper courtesy of our friends at Bakker Elkhuizen

The most commonly used accessory for working with a computer or laptop is still the mouse. Due to its frequent use, having a good mouse is essential for making work on a computer or laptop healthy and comfortable. There are many different kinds of mice on the market today, most of which (i.e. the unconventional mice) are also ergonomically responsible. From vertical, precision and centrally positioned mice to a pen tablet: How can you choose which mouse is right for you? 

Prolonged use of a mouse can result in pain and discomfort in the shoulders, forearms and hands (Chang, et al., 2007; Andersen, et al., 2008). Using an ergonomic mouse can help to counteract these effects and result in more comfort. There are various ergonomic mice that increase the comfort of using a mouse. This whitepaper provides more information about them. 

MaineGeneral's biggest investment? Workplace wellness | Mainebiz.biz

BY JAMES MCCARTHY

Chuck Hays, president and CEO of MaineGeneral Health Services, the state's third-largest health care system, has no trouble explaining why it's good business for employers to take a proactive role in helping their workers stay healthy.

He's got MaineGeneral's Workplace Health department as an example. Per-employee paid health claims for the system's 4,300 employees have been lower than expected since 2008, with 2014's $8,451 cost actually being lower than 2008's per capita cost. Its most recent workers' compensation MOD rate, a measurement of its workers' comp experience, was 0.47, less than half the 1.0 average rate for hospitals. Employee benefit costs have not risen for three years.

But for any stubborn skeptics who might wonder how paying attention to workplace health might work in a riskier, more challenging industrial setting, Hays says that before there was even a shovel in the ground for MaineGeneral's $312 million hospital that opened two years ago, the medical center tapped Workplace Health to provide medical services at the Augusta construction site for upwards of 700 construction workers.

"It saved us almost $1 million in insurance costs as we were building the hospital itself," he says, noting that the department installed a medical trailer onsite, where emergency medical technicians could quickly assess all construction-related injuries and complaints and provide immediate first aid — or send workers with more serious injuries to its Augusta office for further assessment and treatment. That proactive approach helped the project's insurance loss ratio come in at 9.8% — far less than the 29% that had been projected for a construction project involving a 640,000-square-foot building.

In addition to the direct impact it's having on the health of hospital employees, Hays says the Workplace Health department is proving to be an "incredible asset to MaineGeneral and our desire to help the people we serve stay healthy and well." The Affordable Care Act has played a role in that mission, he adds, by expanding coverage for many prevention and wellness services, including incentives for employers to provide wellness programs. The business case for proactively investing in healthy employees, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on the fact that 75% of health care costs is spent on preventable diseases.

"With the shift of health care, in general, dealing more with 'wellness,' Workforce Health has shifted more of its attention to that realm as well," Hays says. "We think wellness is the direction health care needs to travel — for everyone, not just for workplaces. I will tell you, though, I don't think any of our companies would take our Workplace Health service if they weren't seeing a return on the bottom line themselves."

Tackling workers' comp

A for-profit center within the MaineGeneral system, Workplace Health currently works with 250 businesses in the Kennebec Valley region that collectively employ roughly 20,000 workers.

Helping employers improve on-the-job safety was the department's primary mission when it was launched more than 20 years ago in response to Maine's 1992 workers' compensation reforms. But that focus has evolved into the broader mission of assisting companies create wellness programs for their employees as an effective way of reducing their overall health care costs.

"I run it like a business," says Denise Dumont-Bernier, a physical therapist who was recruited to run the department following a long career in occupational health that included stints providing onsite health care at L.L.Bean and Bath Iron Works. The department's profit, she says, helps the parent organization provide health care to populations that can't afford to pay for it fully on their own — roughly $13.2 million in charity care, according to MaineGeneral's most recent financial report.

Core workplace health services, many dating back to the 1992 workers' comp reforms, include:

• Treating workplace injuries under the 10-day preferred provider rule allowing employers to choose where to send their injured workers if the injury happens at the worksite, along with coordinated follow-up care;

• Pre-employment health screenings;

• Drug and alcohol testing;

• Ergonomic evaluations;

• Maine Department of Transportation exams.

"Not every business does post-hire physicals," Dumont-Bernier says. "The value to the company is that it helps them understand if the person hired is physically able to do the job they were hired to do."

Sometimes those physicals determine the worker just hired isn't a good fit for the required job skills or strength requirements. Other times they point to special accommodations that will be required under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"It's really all about preventing workers' compensation injuries from happening," she says, noting that many workers' comp injuries occur within six months of someone being hired. "It's certainly an investment worth considering … a back injury typically is very costly."

Workplace Health also helps employers with a high "MOD rate" identify ways to prevent workplace injuries and improve their claims history in order to lower their workers' comp costs.

Workers' compensation-related services are paid on a fee-for-service basis according to Maine's workers' compensation fee schedule, while the department's wellness services typically involve a two-year contract based on numerous factors, including number of employees, number hours of coaching, programming and the kinds of consultations that the employer desires. Programs are customized for each employer according to needs and budget.

Walking the walk

Dumont-Bernier points to Kennebec Technologies President Charles "Wick" Johnson as an example of a business owner who understands the importance of investing in his employees' wellness and safety. In addition to offering flu shots at work and providing incentives to encourage workers to participate in its voluntary wellness program, the company has created an organic garden at its Augusta plant and serves harvested vegetables in its lunchroom.

Dumont-Bernier says Johnson has told her the wellness initiatives have helped the company "retain employees and attract new ones." "He truly believes in it," she says. "When it comes from the heart, you know they are doing it for the right reason."

She says Workplace Health can help companies analyze their data to identify health risks of their particular employee demographics and then develop a wellness program tailored to those needs. "It's not a one-size-fits-all program," she says. "What we try to do is help them develop a long-term strategy."

Dumont-Bernier and Hays acknowledge MaineGeneral's voluntary wellness program for its 4,300 employees has evolved over time. It began 14 years ago when the hospital went "smoke-free," picked up momentum 10 years ago with a health coaching focus and really took off with the opening of the new hospital two years ago.

Built into the new hospital's design are stations where employees can take their blood pressure or weigh themselves. There's a teaching kitchen where employees and the general public can learn how to improve their diets. Employees participating in the voluntary wellness program get the benefit of one-on-one sessions with health coaches. Through Virgin Pulse, a division of Richard Branson's Virgin Group, employees are offered a free bracelet that monitors how many steps they take each day and encourages greater mindfulness about being physically active.

"We have big 'carrots,'" Dumont-Bernier says, noting that MaineGeneral's voluntary program provides incentives to encourage people to attain their health goals. "We want people to be engaged in their wellness. I think the health-coaching piece is the foundation of the program. Changing lifestyle habits is hard."

It's not a given that all employees will embrace wellness goals, Hays adds, half-joking that when MaineGeneral removed the fryolator from its kitchen he didn't relish going into the hospital's cafeteria, knowing that some employees weren't happy about the elimination of fried foods from the menu. He was grateful there was less of an outcry when soft drinks were later removed from the cafeteria.

"It gets easier when people begin to see the benefits to their overall health," he says.

Eleven ergonomic workplace tips to reduce joint pain

Joint pain is uncomfortable, frustrating, and quite annoying to most people who find it extremely difficult to go to work every day and spend eight hours in the office. However, you can’t call in sick whenever you experience joint pain which is why introducing some ergonomics tweaks can significantly relieve joint pain and make your time at work (and later at home) more bearable. This article will list 11 tips that will help you tackle the pain and improve flexibility. Let’s start.

What causes joint pain?

Before you see 11 important and easy things you can do to relieve joint pain at workplace, we’re going to discuss WHY you experience joint pain. There are many causes of joint pain and below are some of them:

• Osteoporosis – Loss of bone density which affects women primarily.
• Excessive weight – Being overweight or obese forms a greater pressure on your weight-bearing joints thus causing pain
• Synovitis – It is caused by a distended joint capsule and is defined as an infection of the synovial membranes that surround the joints
• Sports injuries – While contact sports can cause joint pain and injuries, the most common causes of sports injuries are poor training methods
• Autoimmune diseases – Some types of joint pain are result of your body’s immunity attacking healthy cells and tissues.
• Other causes – Ligament sprains, flu, occupational injuries, wear and tear etc.

To Stop this from happening, you could implement these 11 ergonomic workplace hacks as soon as possible.

1. Move around

Sedentary lifestyle and prolonged inactivity can aggravate joint pain you feel. In order to prevent this, you should get up and move around every 20 – 30 minutes. Furthermore, you should also take short micro-breaks that last between 1 and 2 minutes. Micro-breaks aren’t breaks from work. Instead, they are breaks from specific activity that engages only one group of muscle e.g. typing. During micro-break, you should either stand up and stretch or perform some other activity.

2. Keep your head up

Working all day in your office can be quite exhausting and you usually start slouching or looking down. When you do this repeatedly, you usually experience pain in your shoulders, neck, and upper back. To prevent this from happening, you should always bear your posture in mind, keep your head up and focus on the middle of your screen while working.

3. Position computer monitors at eye level

Ideally, your eyes should level with the top of your screen (unless you’re using a really big monitor). This can also help you keep your head up and prevent joint pain. The center should be at least 15 degrees below the line of sight and about an arm’s length away.

4. Use document holder

If your job involves going through numerous documents on daily basis, then you will definitely benefit from document holder. When you place document on your desk, you have to look down or slouch. Repeating this action constantly every day will result with pain in your neck, shoulders, upper and lower back which is something you don’t want. Document holders raise your folders at eye level thus protecting you from pain.

5. Keep must-haves close

When you’re at work, make sure that your essentials are within arms reach. This will stop you from stretching and putting a greater pressure onto your joints just to reach something on multiple occasions.

6. Choose the right chair

This is one of the most important things you should do when it comes to joint pain prevention at workplace. Ideally, you should opt for an office chair that is comfortable but also offers a strong lumbar support. Your lower back naturally curves, which means that you should choose a chair that follows this curve in order to keep your back supported and comfortable throughout the day.

7. Keep your feet flat on the ground

Keeping your feet flat on the ground will lessen the tension in your ankles and knees thus providing a more comfortable position. If you’re not able to reach the ground, then you should use footrest.

8. Avoid sitting with legs crossed

Sitting with legs crossed makes it difficult to keep your spine straight and maintain adequate posture. It also misaligns your hips and it’s needless to mention that sitting cross-legged can cause varicose veins.

9. Invest in high-quality mouse and a keyboard

Just because your mouse and keyboard came with desktop, it doesn’t mean you have to use them. Ideally, you should use mouse and keyboards that are designed to provide better functionality with a good hand feel. Furthermore, if you’re using laptop for work, you should use a separate keyboard which will prevent you from hunching, leaning, and stretching.

10. Make your chair fit

Buying a comfortable chair that also offers lumbar support isn’t enough, it also has to fit. How to know whether a chair fits? It’s easy; when sitting back there should be at least 1-inch gap between your knees and the edge of the seat. Furthermore, seat of the chair should be at least 1 inch wider than your hips and thighs. The chair itself should be wide enough for your back, but not too wide as it would restrict arm movements.

11. Arms support

First, you should never rest your wrists and elbows on edges of your desk. If this action is regularly repeated , it could compress the nerves and cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Ideally, you should have a chair whose armrests are adjustable and set so forearms are supported when elbows are bent at 90 degrees and wrists straight.

Conclusion

With these simple and easy-to-implement ergonomics hacks from this article, you will be able to prevent forming pressure on your joints and alleviate the pain. Furthermore, all these tips also promote creating comfortable yet joint-supporting environment that will also improve your productivity at the same time.

Four Steps to a More Personalized Digital Workplace

• By 2018, 60% of companies will have programs for customization and accessibility specifically designed to attract and retain older and disabled employees.
• By 2017, 40% of large-enterprise IT organizations will actively exploit user experience designs for employee-facing apps.

Assistive technologies designed for employees with disabilities are delivering real benefits to the entire workforce. These technologies were once seen as part of a niche compliance issue, but now more organizations use the technologies to deliver an agile digital workplace. In
addition, organizations are broadening the scope of their user and customer experience initiatives to include technology accessibility. A "build for the extremes" theme is emerging from the customer experience and IT groups and meeting up with HR, which is marching toward a more inclusive and diversified workforce.

Step 1 — Technologies to Deploy Now for a Better Digital Workplace
Use Video Captioning to Increase Viewing Flexibility and Boost Understanding
Video captioning is the text representation of the spoken word as presentations and video calls. It also includes the text representation of recorded video. This is similar to closed captioning for TV broadcasts.

Captioning is going mainstream — all of Amazon Prime video offers closed captioning, as does
Netflix. U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules will require Internet video clips must be captioned if the associated programming is shown on TV in the U.S. starting in January 2016.

Deaf or hard-of-hearing employees rely on video captioning as part of an inclusive workplace. A global multilingual workforce benefits from text captioning to mitigate strong accents. All employees will find complex presentation easier to understand with captioned video. Studies also show retention is higher when people both hear and read information.

Many companies can add captions. Cost, accuracy, and having subject matter experts that
understand terminology and industry-specific buzzwords are key decision points. A few noteworthy ones to consider are Nuance's Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Ai Media Group, IBM Media Captioner or a service provider, such as Microlink. Nonprofits have free access to AccessibilityOz's OzPlayer.  Here are recommendations:
■ Start captioning your company's critical recorded video. Watch for formatting problems when the text captioning box overlaps existing screen texts.
■ Make captioning standard for company live presentations, conference presentations and
internal training videos by the end of 2016.
■ Offer captioning tools for ad hoc video calls. Solutions from Google and Microsoft Skype are
worth watching. Pilot before deploying. See Notes 1 and 2 for links to Microsoft's solutions.
■ Make captioning part of the "mobile first" approach. Captioning video content for use on mobile devices benefits everyone viewing content in noisy locations.

Step 2 — Watch Emerging Technologies to Add Customization to Your IT Portfolio
in 2017
Gartner's "Hype Cycle for Human-Machine Interface, 2015" is an excellent resource to use to plan your company's future IT portfolio roadmap. Notable technology profiles to consider are:
■ Facial recognition
■ Speech-to-speech translation
■ Gesture control

Watch the IT accessibility space to see the next-generation mainstream customization
technologies. On 1 June 2015, the FCC named its annual Awards for Advancement in Accessibility, which recognize innovative achievements in communications technology. Winners were chosen in seven categories; these four relate to workplace applications:
■ Augmented reality (BlindSquare)
■ Real-time text (Beam Messenger)
■ Teleconferencing (AT&T)
■ Video description (Comcast)
Complete award details can be found on the FCC website.

Step 3 — Use a Technology Accessibility Maturity Model as a Proxy for a Broader
Technology Personalization Evaluation Project
Just as assistive technology designed for employees with disabilities is being mainstreamed to
benefit all employees, companies can use an IT accessibility maturity model to measure their status on IT personalization. The Business Disability Forum Technology Taskforce, based in London, provides a free Accessibility Maturity Model toolkit that is worth a look. Created by leading private-and public-sector organizations, it provides a systematic way to assess an organization's accessibility progress and performance over time. It identifies focus areas for improvement and provides best practice on how to get there. Its eight-point self-assessment includes attributes starting with motivation from business drivers, moving through IT procurement steps and finishing with the employee-facing program.
 

Step 4 — Build a Sustained Program
Cost matters with IT personalization. Use a total cost of ownership (TCO) model to
understand where costs will increase or decrease when contemplating expanding options to
employees. Apply the lessons learned from BYOD programs where organizations shifted from
company-owned and -issued mobile devices to employee-owned BYOD programs. Where costs may be higher, IT leaders must evaluate other benefits not included in TCO with business leaders and HR.
Many clients report running an internal IT accessibility workgroup advisory program for
employees with disabilities. These working groups can be leveraged to advise on broader
applications for assistive technology — IT accessibility programs that can benefit the entire
company employee base. Here are recommendations:
■ Read Gartner's report "Use TCO to Assess Choices in Devices, Support Policies and
Management Approaches." Approaches for a broader understanding of the best practices with
BYOD will help evaluate which ones can be applied to your organization's IT personalization
program.
■ Align IT personalization objectives with HR objectives for workforce talent management and
diversification, including hiring employees with disabilities, mitigating language issues with
global workforce expansion, and workforce aging dynamics.
■ Join industry associations focused on IT accessibility. The Business Disability Forum based in
London is one; Business Disability International is another. Others to consider joining are the
International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) and the US Business Leadership
Network. Attend an accessibility industry conference, such as the M-Enabling Summit in
Washington, DC.
■ Take an online course and have your company's business leaders and application development staffs do same. See the link for accessibility training from Coursera.org.