Apr 3, 2020 |
There are now more people than ever working from home. For those not included in the 7% of US workers who were working from home before COVID-19, I’m sure you’re learning that it can take some getting used to. It is important to take preventative steps in your home office setup to prevent common injuries and boost morale. Below are some Home Ergonomic Tips & Tricks that will help you stay healthy while working from your new home office. And remember if you have to go out in public, be sure to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Working From Home Ergonomic Tips & Tricks
Provided By: Higginbotham
Working from home comes with its own set of challenges. If an employee finds themselves working from home for a prolonged period of time, it is especially important to take steps to prevent ergonomic injuries. Taking small steps can go a long way to injury prevention at home.
Healthy at Home
Ergonomics is defined as the science of fitting a workspace to an individual’s needs. Ergonomics aims to increase efficiency and productivity while reducing discomfort and the likelihood of injury.
Many factors of ergonomics may be taken for granted in the workplace and be severely lacking in a home environment. For example, while at the office, you likely have access to a suitable desk and chair, but when you work from home, you might not have an ideal setup.
Poor ergonomics can lead to not only reduced employee efficiency, but also a number of health issues that may have long-lasting effects, including damage to muscles, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments and tendons. Musculoskeletal disorders can be caused by a wide variety of tasks, many of which may seem innocent, such as sitting with poor posture or having to bend or reach repeatedly.
Workstation Considerations
In order to make your home a suitable work environment, there are a number of factors that you should consider for your workspace, including your:
- Chair—A sturdy chair that supports the curvature of the spine is ideal for working. Chairs should also allow for adjustments so that your feet can rest flat on the floor and your thighs are parallel to it. While typing, your arms should be parallel to the floor as well.
- Desk—Use a work surface, such as a desk or table, that has space underneath for your legs and feet. If a work surface is too low, adjust your chair accordingly. The situation may also be able to be corrected using sturdy supports to boost the legs of either the work surface or the chair. Cushion your wrists from the surface edge with padding or a wrist rest.
- Screen—Arrange your laptop or monitor screen directly in front of you and approximately an arm’s length away with the top of the screen at, or slightly below, eye level.
- Layout—Organize files and materials so that you don’t have to constantly bend and strain to reach them.
- Equipment—When using a keyboard and mouse, keep them on the same surface. Position your arms so that your hands are aligned with, or slightly below, your elbows. Make sure your wrists are straight and your upper arms stay close to your body. If you use the phone frequently, put it on speaker or use a headset in order to avoid having to cradle the phone between your head and shoulder.
Preventing Hazards
In addition to arranging your workspace properly, you should also be aware of new risk factors that may be present. Be careful not to overload electrical outlets or create tripping hazards with power strips or extension cords running across the floor of your home.
Taking Breaks
Even while at the office, employees shouldn’t spend eight straight hours sitting at their desks. This applies to working at home as well. Take regular breaks to stand, stretch and move around a bit.
In Conclusion
Working from home has its pros and cons. While your home may not be the ideal work environment, utilizing the strategies in this article can go a long way toward preventing unnecessary injuries.
#WorkingFromHome #Powerhouse #PeopleProcessTechnology #COVID19
Mar 18, 2020 |
As the World Health Organization officially declares this virus a pandemic, there are many concerns across the globe regarding our well-being. Our personal and professional lives are shifting as we, as a country and as a planet, figure out how best to stay healthy, stop the spread and also continue contributing economically. This is the first crisis in our time of the age of technology which allows many employers to offer work-from-home setups. Only time will tell which initiatives have proven successful in stopping the spread and maintaining progress in our professional lives.
For our industry in particular, which has been experiencing growth amongst a few challenges in the recent years, the coronavirus poses a pretty sizeable threat – material availability. Read more below from Construction Best Practices on how COVID-19 can potentially impact our industry this year.
As reported by GlobeSt.com, which offers commercial real estate news, the coronavirus has made the certainty of construction cost projections rather murky. “The impact of the virus is impossible to predict with certainty, but any prolonged slowdown in Chinese or global economic and manufacturing activity is likely to have significant ramifications for construction costs,” according to the JLL 2020 Construction Outlook, as cited by GlobeSt.com.
The virus may also impact the availability of materials. Because roughly one-fourth to one-third of the construction products that builders use in the United States are sourced from China, a sustained slowdown in Chinese production can lead to material shortages in the United States and rises in material costs, JLL said.
But there may be a silver lining: Reduced construction activity due to virus containment efforts will result in a reduction in demand of materials, offsetting price pressure. However, “Without the ability to accurately forecast the impact of the virus, we have widened our materials price forecast to account for the uncertainty,” JLL added.
Source: https://www.bestconstructionpractices.com/2020/03/coronavirus-poised-to-cause-materials-shortage/
Mar 2, 2020 |
What We’re Up To
2020 will be a busy year for the Powerhouse Business Development Team as we crisscross the nation attending conferences and trade shows to spread the word about our services for Construction, Facility Maintenance, Landscaping/Snow Removal and Rollouts. While this grueling schedule could wear out even the most seasoned teams, it energizes Powerhouse’s BD Team! We love being on the road because it means we get to see our clients and our partners, as well as meet prospective clients, all while telling the Powerhouse story.
With our experience in multiple industries we can help you deliver successful projects, improve your brand image, and implement programs on time and on budget. Let us show you!
Want to talk with us at any of the shows below? Lace up your running shoes and catch us if you can. Contact Us
| Show |
City |
State |
Location |
Begin Date |
End Date |
| StorePoint Fresh |
Austin |
TX |
JW Marriott |
1/26/2020 |
1/29/2020 |
| StorePoint Retail |
Seattle |
WA |
Hyatt Regency |
2/9/2020 |
2/12/2020 |
| StorePoint Fashion |
New Orleans |
LA |
New Orleans Marriott |
3/1/2020 |
3/4/2020 |
| RFMA |
Denver |
CO |
Gaylord Rockies |
3/8/2020 |
3/10/2020 |
| SPECS |
Dallas |
TX |
Gaylord Texan |
3/15/2020 |
3/17/2020 |
| NMFT Baltimore |
Baltimore |
MD |
Baltimore Convention Center |
3/17/2020 |
3/19/2020 |
| RestaurantPoint West |
Phoenix |
AZ |
JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa |
3/29/2020 |
4/1/2020 |
| Vizient’s Conference |
Las Vegas |
NV |
Wynn Resort |
3/30/2020 |
4/2/2020 |
| HotelPoint |
Scottsdale |
AZ |
Western Kierland Resort and Spa |
4/5/2020 |
4/8/2020 |
| BuildPoint |
San Antonio |
TX |
JW Marriott Hill Country Resort and Spa |
4/19/2020 |
4/22/2020 |
| Connex |
Orlando |
FL |
Gaylord Palms |
4/20/2020 |
4/22/2020 |
| Atlanta Apartment Association |
Atlanta |
GA |
Cobb Galleria Centre |
5/13/2020 |
5/13/2020 |
| Banking Facilities Forum |
Austin |
TX |
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort |
5/19/2020 |
5/21/2020 |
| Apartmentalize |
Boston |
MA |
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center |
6/17/2020 |
6/20/2020 |
| Premier Conference |
Nashville |
TN |
TN Gaylord Opryland Resort |
6/23/2020 |
6/26/2020 |
| ASHE Annual |
Chicago |
IL |
McCormick Place |
8/2/2020 |
8/5/2020 |
| C-BuildPoint |
Bonita Springs |
FL |
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point |
9/20/2020 |
9/23/2020 |
| Florida Apartment Association |
Hollywood |
FL |
Diplomat Beach Resort |
9/30/2020 |
10/2/2020 |
| RestaurantPoint East |
Atlanta |
GA |
Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center |
10/18/2020 |
10/21/2020 |
| SeniorLivingPoint |
Santa Ana Pueblo |
NM |
Hyatt Regency Tamaya |
10/25/2020 |
10/28/2020 |
| NMHC OPTECH Conference |
Las Vegas |
NV |
Wynn Resort |
11/16/2020 |
11/18/2020 |
Jan 31, 2020 |
Your property’s exterior will make the first impression. Let us help you stand out.
Landscape Industry Trends
The Landscaping Industry has a direct correlation to the health of property markets, which has been on a steady incline since 2014. Because of this, we see several features within the industry rising as well. The Landscape Services Industry as a whole in 2019 hit some incredible mile markers:
- $99bn
- Over 500,000 businesses dedicated to Landscape Services
- An annual growth of 4.4% (2014-2019)
- Almost 1.1m industry employees
Here’s what we learned from 2019
Technology
This is a trend that does not discriminate! Technological advances have been touching every industry for quite some time and it’s up to us to keep up.
Design
The rush to catch up to your landscape’s growth has led to a different direction of landscape design. Without leaving the trend of more and more green space out, customers are opting in for a more low-maintenance landscape from the beginning. Choosing the design for your region and space can lead to overall less touches when it comes to maintaining your exterior. An asymmetrical design is an example of how some are choosing to fit in with this trend.
Wellness
Wellness is a trend that correlates with landscape services. As the mantra of a healthy mind and body grow, so does the need and appreciation for green space. Because everyone is starting to become aware of green spaces, businesses are trying to focus more on improvement and grooming.
Powerhouse is keeping up with these trends so that this industry doesn’t out-grow us. We know what’s important to our clients and our clients’ clients. We’re up-to-date on technology and we understand the reason for the variety of landscaping designs and the “why” behind all of it.
Powerhouse can be your easy button for landscape services. Don’t let these trends overgrow your exterior!
Powerhouse’s Exterior Services
- Snow and Ice Management
- Snow Removal
- Hauling
- De-icing
- Parking Lot
- Pressure Washing
- Sweeping
- Striping
- Repair & Sealing
- Concrete Repairs
- ADA Compliance
- Landscape Services
- Grounds Maintenance & Clean-Up
- Hardscapes
- Irrigation
- Tree Trimming
Sources
Total Landscape Care’s Green Industry Trends of 2019 (https://www.totallandscapecare.com/landscaping/green-industry-trends-2019/)
IBISWorld’s Landscaping Services Industry in the US - Market Research Report (https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/landscaping-services-industry/)
Turf Magazine’s 5 Major Social Trends Important to the Landscape Industry (https://www.turfmagazine.com/business-management/important-social-trends/)
