Entries Written By Mark Eltringham
Wellbeing and ergonomics are just as important for those working from home
The use of the term ‘ergonomic’ to describe the design of objects is useful but it doesn’t really tell the whole story. Ergonomics is about the relationship between a person and the things around them. It’s an abstract idea, weaving together the disparate strands of context and usage. And when those strands change, what we …
The importance of indoor air quality at work
One of the unintended consequences of the pandemic has been to focus attention on the issue of indoor air quality. But as Sarah Zhang points out in a recent piece in The Atlantic, this is an issue that we have long understood, and not just as a way to reduce the risks of infection. It …
in News, Workplace Design
Ethical behaviour and better ideas are linked to great office design
We’ve reported before on What’s Up about the important role of office design in nurturing individual wellbeing and bringing people together to collaborate. However, sophisticated the collaborative technology we have at our disposal, it always turns out that certain behaviours and ideas can best (and sometimes only) be nurtured in physical space.
The changing conversation about workplace wellbeing has gone full circle
It’s become something of a cliché to say that the pandemic sparked the largest ever experiment into remote working. Which is true … except for a couple of not-so-small things. One is that the workplace exists in a state of permanent beta. And quite right too. If it isn’t constantly adapting to changing circumstances, it …
Personal space is not merely an issue of hygiene, but a biological imperative
The current debate about how much personal space we will need in the office and how much real estate the organisation should take on as a result is not new. As with many of the debate’s facets, the point at which we find ourselves has long been our destination. We’re just here earlier than we …
in News, Workplace Design
New Dimensions and new products for the changing world of work in 2020
What would Europe’s workplace sector do without its most important and longstanding office design exhibition, Orgatec? Well, in 2020 we’ve had our chance to find out. First off, the lack of a show is a missed opportunity. A biannual event offers up a snapshot of a sector on the move in ways that might be …
Sedus and sustainability, an interview with Simon Roquette, Part Two
In the first part of the interview with Simon Roquette, we talked about Sedus’ approach to sustainability as well as its plans and objectives. In this, the second part, we will take a closer look at the firm’s products, production methods and how important environmental protection should be. Question: Does sustainability offer a return …
in News, Workplace Design
Associating emotions with certain colours is a universal human trait
The English language is replete with examples of colours being used to describe ideas and emotions. We see red and feel blue. We go puce with rage and are tickled pink. The jealous are green and the cowardly yellow. We are encouraged not to engage in black and white thinking.
in News, Workplace Design
Integrating the office in the new workplace ecosystem
Any trend in office design is always the end result of the complex interplay of a number of forces. This truism is what makes office design such a compelling field of study. Watching workplace trends tells us so much about the world in which we live. Look beyond the aesthetics of any well-designed office and …
Sedus and sustainability, an interview with Simon Roquette, Part One
Over the past few years, sustainability and its management have taken on ever greater prominence. Primarily, because of the desire to preserve precious resources and so protect the environment, but also because environmental standards have become increasingly strict and subject to greater scrutiny. In this interview, Sedus’s environmental manager Simon Roquette explains how the company …
