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www.binfo.co.uk
42
office
Switch off your PC and
turn on to art
A new not-for-profit venture is taking modern
art out of galleries and into businesses in
London and the South-East with a series
of free lunchtime and after-work art clubs
where employees can take a break from office
technology and stimulate their creative juices.
Organised by Art Collective and held on clients’
premises, the art clubs bring experts and emerging
artists to offices to discuss art, provide demos and
answer people’s questions about art theory and
practice. There will also be the opportunity to buy
works by Art Collective’s rising artists.
To book an Art Club, call Lyn or Pauline on
020 7263 5644 or for more information, email
Ambius, a world leader in enhancing buildings
through planting, scenting and artwork, has
launched a free Biophilia toolkit to explain how
plants and natural elements should be used in
building interiors.
Drawing on scientific studies that show the link
between closeness to nature and well-being, the
toolkit gives FM professionals useful guidance on
eight key principles of interior landscape design.
These are to:
1.
Create the feel of nature indoors through a
degree of randomness and informality;
2.
Recreate the illusion of overlooking a landscape;
3.
Blur the boundary from outside to in;
4.
Create interest with light and shade through the
foliage of interior plants;
5.
Use natural (and local) materials such as plant
containers;
6.
Provide shelter and privacy;
7.
Incorporate the sound or sight of water; and
8.
Use natural scents and perfumes to add an extra
dimension.
Kenneth Freeman, International Technical Director
for Ambius said: “By implementing just some of the
aspects of the Biophilia toolkit, FM managers can
ensure buildings and internal spaces both look and
feel good to the people using them.”
According to recent research (Burchett MD, Torpy
F & Brennan J, 2010,
Greening the Great Indoors
for Human health and wellbeing
, Fin. Rep. to Hort.
Aust. Ltd.), office workers with one or more plants
in their offices report reductions in anxiety (by
37%), depression (58%), fatigue (38%), confusion
(30%), negativity (65%) and stress (50%).
www.ambius.co.uk/biophilia
How to use plants to improve staff well-being
Cut flowers are another great way to brighten
the office.Working with florists across the UK,
Ambius has launched an online fresh flower
service specifically for businesses, with same day
delivery for orders before 3pm. Ambius Floral
bouquets and flower arrangements come with
a 7-day guarantee and are hand-delivered by a
local florist, box-free and in perfect shape. The
service also includes hampers and other gifts
that can be used as gifts or employee incentives.
Sit down and exercise
The ONGO seat is a fun way to exercise while
sitting. Available in the UK exclusively from
Posturite, the German-made seat actively
encourages movement to prevent a build-up of
tension, strengthen back muscles and improve
posture.
A ball track built into ONGO’s curved base
enables the stool to respond to every movement
the sitter makes, while also providing audible
feedback of changes in position.With certain
exercises, such as circling the hips, you can
make the ball rotate fully around the track.
Interchangeable steel, glass and rubber balls allow
users to vary the level of difficulty.
ONGO comes in a range of colours, is height
adjustable and costs £229 (exVAT).
www.posturite.co.uk 0845 345 0010.
In brief…
Bad romance
Office romances are a notorious source of
conflict in the workplace. Even so, fewer than
one in four (24%) employers has a written
policy to deal with them. Research by HR
information source XpertHR reveals that 40%
of employers have experienced difficulties due
to a close relationship between employees.
The most common complaints were charges
of favouritism cited by 37% of the 200
organisations questioned, followed by loss of
morale (30%), bullying after a break-up (27%)
and sexual harrassment (10%).
Advice for lone workers
The LoneWorker Forum of the British
Security Industry Association (BSIA) is
publishing online advice for the 6 million
workers in the UK who operate alone or
without direct supervision. The resource
provides lone workers and their employers
with useful information on health and
safety, legal obligations, quality standards,
as well as advice on choosing a reputable
supplier of lone worker devices.
www.bsia.co.uk/lone-workers
Online bookings
Regus has launched a new room-booking app
in conjunction with Condeco. The software
gives access to Regus’s worldwide network
of 5,000 meeting rooms and 1,000 video
communication facilities.
www.regus.co.uk
Wireless lighting
LED lighting specialist Mr Beams has launched a battery-
operated motion-activated light ideal for cupboards, computer
rooms, corridors, storerooms, stairwells, entrances, garages
and out-buildings. The LED Ceiling Light detects motion
from 8 metres away and turns off 30 seconds after the last
movement is detected. Powered by four C Cell batteries, it
requires no wiring and comes with a mounting bracket for easy
installation. It costs £24.95.
www.mrbeams.co.uk