Velsoft Courseware Blog

Strategic Planning is not for the Unfocused

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

For business owners interested in growth, having no plan is a plan for failure. For SoftSkills trainers who are empowered to bring meaningful education to their workshops, seminars, and eLearning, this course delivers the essential ingredients for learners to move from conceptual understanding of values, vision, and mission statements, to being able to analyze every aspect of their business effectively, and build plans that people will be motivated to work with.

Building a strategic plan can seem like a daunting task, but since it does not have to be done every year and really creates the undercurrent that guides the business and provides signposts to give direction, it's a very worthwhile effort.

If you are a trainer or business who wants to really leverage strategic planning and have it make sense quickly and effectively, you might find SoftSkills courseware like those created by Velsoft very useful. We are releasing a new two-day course called Strategic Planning. Materials include content rich instructor and student guides, meaningful exercises, pre-formatted PowerPoint Slides, and even a pre and post assessment. For more information, visit www.velsoftcourseware.com today!

Getting to the Heart of the Matter

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

Strategic planning might make your heart stop for a moment, or maybe it gets you excited. Whatever your approach is, I need to talk to you about it because it is really, really important, and it seems that lots of companies are still mucking it up.

What are you about? What do you stand for? Where are you going? That's really what strategic planning is asking, and it seems pretty simple. For a small single product or service company run by a sole proprietor, it might be really simple. But once you get beyond that and are trying to grow and stand out in your market place, you'd better be ready to be able to explain yourself and what you intend to do. If you can't explain the plan to your business partners or shareholders, or your spouse for that matter, how are you going to explain it to your customers?

Strategic planning is a process that requires you to closely examine every element of the business and what you want it to be doing. You don't have to go through the process alone, but believe me when I say you must go through the process.

When I work with business leaders and ask them, "So, what are your business plans for this year?" and their answer is something like what follows, I get really excited: "We're focusing on marketing to a new region this year, having researched Latin America and developed products specifically suited to their needs. We've already made 35% of the sales we aim for this year and we're just wrapping up the first quarter."

Why do I get excited about this? Because this company has a plan, did their research, and they are getting results that are even better than they anticipated! Too often, though I hear, "Well, I'm focusing on sales (or training, or hiring, etc.) and I want to do more this year, so I am really encouraging the sales team to get after things. We've put a halt on any other development so that I can focus just on that." This shows me that the leader does not know what to do or how to put it together, and has no plan.

A strategic plan isn't just something that you sit down with at the beginning of the year and set some lofty goals. The planning process requires a lot of thought, analysis, and decision making. It also forces you to acknowledge where any gaps are in your business, and what can make you vulnerable. When the plan is put together, you have something powerful that you can leverage to drive the company forward, and not just for one year, but for several.

What are you waiting for? Get to the heart of the matter, and get your strategic plan working for you.

Want to learn more about strategic planning? Come visit us at www.velsoftcourseware.com and look at our Strategic Planning course a couple of days of training that can turn around a business.

All the World’s a Stage

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

If it's true that all that world's a stage, as Shakespeare said, then we must keep a close eye on how we are perceived by the outside world. If so, then why is it that so many companies do not seem to consider what they do or what their employees have been up to?

On today's news, for example, is the story of a hospital employee who was caught reviewing people's confidential medical files. It wasn't just one or two people either; tracking shows that she looked up 100 files! Why would she do this? Because she had access, that's why.

Instead of the health district launching a public relations campaign to mitigate the damage, the woman herself has appeared on television with teary eyed apologies. Her former employer is calling people whose records were compromised to let them know of the privacy breach. Nothing else seems to be happening.

If I was her former employer, I would have handled the situation much differently. Firstly, I wouldn't have wanted the woman on television, where people might see her tears as a con and her apology as insincere. I wouldn't want her trying to create a compassionate response by hinting that she was exposing a weakness in record storage. I would meet with the executive staff and I would consider laying charges to match the seriousness of what she has done.

But, I have training in crisis management and media relations, and I suppose it's possible that the upper management at the health region don't, or at the very least they don't want people to think they do.

Did people know this woman was reading patient files? Are the records so easy to see that it is common practice and lots of employees do it? Would you want your friend, spouse, or neighbor looking at your records?

I guess I don't really need to worry so much about big brother watching me. I need to watch out for his sister, too.

If you want more information about crisis management, and to decide for yourself what steps you would take in a situation like this, or to respond to a storm, an explosion, or other crisis situation, have a look at our new SoftSkills course called Crisis Management at www.velsoftcourseware.com.

Are You Sure You Are Prepared?

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

Some companies seem immune to crises, while others seem to have more than their fair share. It's amazing how some things can mark our souls and we never forget them. We can be reminded of traumatic events by a quick flash of light, a smell, or a sound. Horrors wrack our world in the form of wars, insurrections, and riots. We can turn to the news daily and hear of injuries and fatalities, about weather gone wild, or crazy drivers who are creating havoc.

Serious prevention efforts can help employers mitigate many issues. Dedication to workplace health and safety programs does make workplaces better, for example. We can prevent a lot of loss and hardship simply by being prepared, conducting a crisis vulnerability audit, and having a good, honest look at what risks exist for us. Then we must take action and create safe places for people to live work and play. Things will go wrong less often, and we'll be able to handle small things before they grow out of control.

Don't get caught unprepared. We've got amazing training materials that will help your trainers deliver rich, interactive, Crisis Management training, whether you want to do it in class or online. Check out our courseware at www.velsoftcourseware.com.

Is This You?

Kimberly McKay, BJH — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

I got an upset phone call from a friend the other day. The first thing that Bob said was, "I think my boss is mad at me."

I asked the most obvious question: "Do you know why?"

He said, "No, but she has said three times in the past week that I'm not up to par. I don't know what that means or why she would say that."

So I walked Bob through some problem identification steps. First: "Have you been making more mistakes in your work or doing things differently in the office?"

Bob said, "I work remotely visiting clients, so my boss doesn't ever see my work or see me in person. A customer might have complained, but I hope that I would have been informed if that had happened."

Next question: "Are you meeting your goals and targets?"

Bob said: "I don't really have any goals."

Oh boy.

Then I asked: "How was your last performance review?"

Not surprisingly, Bob replied, "I've never had one."

So I offered my final suggestion: "Well, the only thing I can say is to ask her what she means and if she's happy with your performance."

Bob hesitated and said, "I guess I could do that, but she doesn't like being asked questions."

I offered Bob some moral support, but there wasn't much that I could do for him: if he didn't know what the problem was, we couldn't solve it. Likewise, employees can't achieve optimum performance if they don't know what that means. If you would like some help on managing employee performance , visit www.velsoftcourseware.com today.

Do You Know Where You Are?

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

Some people seem to need a constant stream of feedback from us, while others want no contact at all. The latter group operates with the "no news is good news" kind of philosophy. However, all of us benefit from some positive input now and again. It's not hard to tell someone when they've done a good job, or to say thank you. Or is it? If it is so easy, then why don't more people do it more often? Why do we save the time for offering feedback to be when something goes disastrously wrong, or worse, when someone gets hurt? Think about the last time that you said something positive to one of your staff or to your own colleagues. How about your spouse, children, or the person pouring your coffee?

I'm not one of those pushy positive people who thinks that every gesture or people just doing their job requires a pat on the back. But on the other hand, why not? What's so bad about thanking someone who holds a door open, or pours you a cup of coffee? The world could use more pleasantries if you ask me. (If you didn't, I'll give you my feedback on the matter right here anyway!)

If you have people on your team who continually check in with you and are asking you for feedback, they may need more validation than you are used to, and maybe their confidence needs building. On the other hand, perhaps you are just stand-offish enough that they really don't know what our expectations are. Maybe the way you offer feedback is just the way your boss or their boss dishes it out, and it leaves everyone wanting more. Are you giving people the feedback they want? How about the feedback that they need?

If you need some help on the feedback loop, we've got different courses to help. Our newest release is Giving Effective Feedback. We also offer courses on specific types of feedback, such as the performance review process. How can we help you? Visit us at www.velsoftcourseware.com!

It's All the Same to Us!

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

Sometimes you are giving feedback to your employees, other times to a colleague, and sometimes it's to your dog trainer. Each circumstance has things in common while at the same time requires attention to the relationship involved. Some of us are naturally adept at giving feedback that is fair and constructive, while others need help. Luckily, most people can learn how to give feedback in a way that is well received and attended to.

When I think of some of the people who try out for reality shows like American Idol or X Factor, I wonder why no one has provided those contestants with some honesty about their "talent." People with next to no ability who try out among competition that has been working at their craft for their entire lives seem to have no concept of how terrible they actually look or sound. While the depth of awful makes for entertaining television, there is a piece of me that wonders why no one has told these poor hopefuls that they are courting disaster and should not consider competing at that level.

Are you a trainer who is looking for an engaging way to teach people how to deliver feedback that people can relate to? If so, we have just released courseware to assist people in delivering feedback that is constructive and effective. Come have a look at Giving Effective Feedback and explore the opportunity to offer instructor-led and/or mobile learning opportunities.

Project Management Training - Understanding Project Management

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

The first formal project I was involved in after university involved a bright group of individuals with no project management experience at all. I wish I had known then what I know now! After I had a few courses, some reading, a good mentor, and about five years in business under my belt, I had a significantly advanced understanding of how much easier those first projects could have been.

Instead, we had a lot of people asking us for resources, coming to us with ideas, and making demands about what they wanted to see as an end result. We also reported to three managers from different parts of the company. Thankfully, things have changed! I have since learned how well a multi-disciplinary team can work together once everyone understands what they are responsible for and who they report to.

Why is it that we expect people to understand exactly how something as important as a project (which gets special permissions, budget, resources allocations, and so on) when they have never been part of anything like this in their past? Coordinating a personal budget is just not the same as a corporate budget. Planning my own schedule is nothing like using formal schedules, Gantt charts, PERT Diagrams, or Critical Paths like we do in project management. (However, once you learn these things, the personal stuff gets much easier!) Project management allows us to experience the realities of conflicting priorities, group dynamics, the power of being able to problem solve, and so much more.

If you are looking for something new to sink your teeth into, and you know there are efforts requiring project leaders coming up in your future, check out some training and look after the next phase of your professional development. Have a look at www.velsoftcourseware.com for a whole suite of Project Management Training courses, including Understanding Project Management, and more.

Understanding Project Management

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

It seems as though lots of workplaces prefer to set up projects rather than long term assignments. They can keep an eye on things easily this way, with reports on budgets, authority levels, and progress.

Personally, I prefer a project approach because it often means that as things wrap up, there will be other projects coming up that I can get involved in. Of course, sometimes that transition where things are ending and new projects are beginning can be a bit challenging because there is a lot happening at the same time. This calls for particular attention to scheduling, routines, and the work breakdown structure to ensure success.

Do you know how many projects are underway at one time in your organization? If you are a small operation, you likely do. Larger operations sometimes have to arrange for project prioritization meetings so that the access to shared resources, like information technology or engineering, can be negotiated.

How many of your projects run into cost and time overruns when shared resources are scarce? This is a real threat to many projects. If the marketing department feels that their project should take priority and customer service offers the same argument, you can have serious problems as the arguments get underway. If marketing doesn't get their project done, sales has nothing to sell, and customer service representatives will be inundated with calls. If customer service doesn't complete their project, they are going to be inundated with calls while marketing struggles to create a message that will be seen during the sales process. Oh boy!

Teach your people project management essentials so that they can understand what is going on in the workplace, have a working knowledge of the language associated with project management, and have a better reckoning of competing priorities within their own organization. Have a look at Project Management Training - Understanding Project Management for more information.

Do You Have the Right Perspective?

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

If you think about the last argument you were involved in at work - or overheard - can you recall what it was about? Sometimes we want to be heard, or are upset about being asked to do more work, but there are many other reasons, too. At home, couples often fight about their finances, a topic that can also be cause for consternation at work.

Early in my career a lot of conversations seemed difficult. The time I had to confront a colleague who thought it was okay to go through people's lunches and help himself to their food was one of them, and telling my father that I had added a scrape the size of a sheet of paper to the side of the family Buick was another. I still don't look forward to hotly debated budget allocation meetings, where people are on edge before we even get started, but I have a much more refined toolkit now and I can manage.

It helps to be a good listener when we speak with others, and this is something I have to work at. I used to think I was a great listener, but nowadays I find other thoughts pressing at the periphery and I have to consciously bring myself back to what's being said. This is embarrassing but I think it's helpful for people to know that they aren't alone; we all let our minds wander. Sometimes we're just not interested in hearing the same story from the same person for the fourth time this week. Other times we have a lot on the go and we've convinced ourselves that if we can just get a little more done today than we did yesterday, we'll get ahead.

If I'm not listening with an open mind - and heart - I really don't get what the other person wants as easily. Of course, sometimes this is also related to their approach. If they would just tell me what is troubling them or what they need, that would make my job easier. Lots of people are not comfortable with being direct; they prefer to leave hints and hope that I work it out for myself, but that actually takes me extra energy that I just may not have. How do you approach things? Are you direct or not? Is it working for you?

If you're teaching people how to do better in their conversations or you want to learn more for yourself, visit www.velsoftcourseware.com and see the wealth of training materials available, including our Managing Difficult Conversations course. There's something for everybody!

Making an Impression With Impact

Ray Burns — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

Look around your workplace.

Some people stand out by the force of their personality, their presence, their impact.

And others blend into the surroundings, who may as well be a piece of the furniture, or a piece of computer equipment.

Wallbanger - or wallflower - they all have an impact on the business, some favourably and others not so much. Either way they all have a part to play in your company's brand.

Look around your workplace again and ask yourself who you would rather deal with, who would be a better representative for the company? Who has the personal impact that leaves the most positive impression?

Sometimes less-than-stellar employees can get by while not being as bright a star as others, but sometimes they deal with customers as the face of the business.

Maybe they've got a new role in the company or maybe they are the ones with information a customer needs. Their message, and therefore the company's message, is at risk of getting lost. Whatever the reason for the low personal impact, there's no cause for despair, we can all benefit by enhancing our personal impact.

It could be just as simple as pointing out to employees how they are received by customers and giving them a few pointers. They may have the best message in the world, be the best employee, but that's overshadowed by their lacklustre personal impact.

Employers shouldn't just cross their fingers and hope things will work out with the personal impact of their staff.

Taking the time to train employees on their personal impact, how it is received by customers, how it can be polished, will pay off with benefits for them and the business. It helps to put your best face forward in any situation.

Think about diamond mining, it's a process, it takes some time. The diamond has to be mined, cut and polished. In the end you have a gem that has a dynamite impact.

You can find out more about personal impact training at: www.velsoftcourseware.com

Microsoft Office Project 2010 Intermediate

Ray Burns — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

In this blog you're going to learn how to easily set up a project calendar, an important step for Microsoft Office 2010 Project.

If you're like me, you need all the help you can get to stay organized. Having a calendar to keep things in order, including your projects, is vital.

Setting up a calendar in Project 2010 is a logical step in managing your project to its success. The calendar is a tool that allows you manage your resources effectively within the time frame that you have in mind for your project.

Once you know what the project is, you have to have an idea of the timeframe for the project in calendar form. This simple, but powerful tool is quick to set up and customize to meet your project goals. This allows you to track working days and hours. It's easy, by following the simple steps below, to assign time for working on your project.

Even a chronically disorganized person like myself can set up, and follow, a project calendar like this.

Setting up the Calendar

To set up a project calendar, first open the Change Working dialog by clicking Change Working Time on the Project tab:

The Change Working Time dialog should appear:

You can select any of the three base calendars using the drop-down at the top of the dialog:

Then, you can use the options in this dialog to set working or non-working time for particular weekdays or specific dates for this calendar only. For example, you can set each Friday as having only four work hours. You may also designate whole non-working days, such as holidays.

To do this simply select the date to which you would like an exception applied and then enter an exception name below it:

Exceptions will be marked on the calendar and listed under the Exceptions tab.

In addition, you can click the Options button to change the default start and end time (Daily) as well as the number of hours per day, week, and month:

Click OK to apply these changes and close the dialog.

We May Have Sold Them Out

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

In the last several decades we've told our children that they are unique, individual, and that they can succeed at absolutely anything. Sadly, we have actually done those same children a disservice, because they believe that they are unique, individual, and that they can succeed at absolutely anything. This has made it nearly impossible for them to realize that failing at something is actually an acceptable way of learning, that you don't have to get perfect marks in everything in order to understand, and that the universe was not designed to serve them specifically. This inflated sense of ability has led to young people who believe that banging on pots and pans and singing out of tune is a reasonable way to win a national singing contest, even though most of know that is ridiculous. It has led to more and more people asking their teachers for special consideration to increase a mark with work that only barely deserved the mark it was given.

Celebrities are notorious for acting badly and then being rewarded by a surge in their popularity, but for most of us, when we act badly there are consequences that can really mess things up. It's a wise person who remembers that those same celebrities started out as pretty regular people, with ordinary lives that have evolved into something extraordinary, and that their version of extraordinary is often not representative of a life that most people want.

What do most people want? Fame? Success? Money? Those words mean something different to each of us. We often want to leave some kind of lasting result that says, "I was there." Do you want to be remembered for something? What kind of impact did you dream of when you were very young? Have you reached it? Are you able to say that you've done what you set out to do? If so, congratulations! You've done far more than many people ever do. With a little planning and some careful follow-through, hopefully the things that you have done will be remembered.

If you are not sure what you want, close your eyes for a moment and think of the fellow banging pots together and singing out of tune at a talent show. This is probably not the image you wish to leave behind!

Now, think ahead and picture yourself a few years down the road. What are you doing? What is it that you would like to be remembered for? Is it a big thing there that you want to do or small changes that you would like to make?

In a life that is planned, founded on your values, and arranged to help you achieve your goals, you can have an impact in your home, your community, and the world. Floundering around and trying one thing and then the next does not accomplish any one thing well. If you are ready to set your life on a different track, you have to do something about it, work at it, create the image that you want, and then go after it. You may not have a cheer squad or a massive public relations team to back you up (or perhaps you will and that is part of your plan), but you can certainly make a difference and you take action.

We can help you get there if you are ready. Reach out to us at www.velsoftcourseware.com.

What’s Your Impact?

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

If you go visit your doctor, they are dressed a certain way, they probably speak to their staff a certain way, and they quite likely begin each of your visits a particular way. If you stop at a surf shop, the salesperson is probably dressed quite differently than your physician, and yet still in a way that reflects and supports the business. You go to these people in order to receive a service or a product, and you probably go to them specifically because they have left some kind of impression on you. We refer to this impression as their personal impact.

Have you given much thought about the impression that you make? How much leeway do you have to express yourself at work, at home, and in your hobbies? While the impact you have can be derived from the way that you present yourself (through how you behave and what you wear), we also have to look at ways that let your individual self be reflected and to have your brand reflect the impact that you want to have.

When you plan to take a short vacation and ask your neighbor to watch your home for you, what is it that makes you ask that particular neighbor? Are they trustworthy? Friendly? Do they consistently conduct themselves in a way that leads you to think they are a good person? If so, you are feeling some of the impact of their personality. They present themselves in a particular way, and unless you see some demonstration of inconsistency (which may lead you to question their credibility), to you their impact seems quite clear.

Are you ready to present yourself in a way that other people see you as credible and trustworthy? What kind of impact do you want to make in life?

For more information on personal impact and how to create your personal brand, visit us at www.velsoftcourseware.com. We have a course called Personal Brand - Maximizing Personal Impact to help you along your journey.

12 Things You Need to Know About Windows 8

Jim Fitt — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

Windows 8 is already considered by many to be the most radical change to Microsoft’s operating system ever. Microsoft is charging head-first into a healthy market owned by its rival – Apple's OS X Lion. Microsoft knows that Mac OS X has the edge when it comes to gesture controls on the trackpad, but Microsoft is going to try to top that by making Windows 8 more touch-friendly, classier looking, and available for both tablets and regular desktop systems. And, the big news… apparently it’s great! Early reports say that Windows 8 is stable, fast, and functions very well.

Some things you might want to know:

Microsoft has rebuilt Windows 8 for a touchscreen and tablet world with ‘swipe’ navigation. Expect to see bigger tiles and unlocking screens similar to smartphones.
Windows 8's Metro interface is completely HTML5 - no proprietary Silverlight or Flash here. HTML5 plays a huge role in Windows 8, both inside the "web", and out.
Windows 8 will be backwards compatible, so you will be able to run all your current software.
Upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 8 will be easy and seamless.
In a world of tablets, we are spoiled when it comes to boot up times. Microsoft recognises this, and has put a lot of work into making sure Windows 8 boot fast.
Windows Explorer is getting a facelift with the ribbon interface from Office 2010, making better use of wide screen displays.
A new Windows 8 file-copy interface will allow you to pause files being transferred. It will also offer better ways to handle duplicate file names with more options to replace and rename files.
Microsoft has built Windows 8 to run on standard Intel and AMD processors as well as ARM processors (those used to power tablet devices).
Similar to iCloud, Microsoft’s free online storage service called SkyDrive will automatically sync all documents, pictures, and other content online with the cloud. This means your settings and files will be accessible across your Windows desktops, laptops, or tablets.
Windows 8 will follow Apple's lead and also offer its own app store called "The Windows Store." Users can download applications for both the new Metro interface, and the traditional Windows interface in this store, and developers can easily share their applcications with every single Windows 8 user easily.
For Windows 8 to run, you will need a 1 GHz processor, a 1 GB RAM DirectX 9 graphics processor, and 16 GB of spare hard drive space. To enjoy touch functionality with Windows 8, you will need a multi-touch screen with a minimum resolution of 1024x768.
Something to watch for… the taskbar has been completely revamped and that may not sit well with all users. Be prepared for this change.

One thing can be sure; when Windows 8 becomes available, sales of touchscreen-enabled desktop and laptop computers are going to go through the roof. My prediction: Christmas 2012 will be a touchscreen Christmas.

What is Ergonomics to You?

Pam Robertson, Ph.D. — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600

“Sit up straight!”

“Stand tall or you’ll get rounded shoulders!”

I can recall my mother telling me these things frequently when I was growing up. It was embarrassing at times! But now, as an adult, I do notice the number of people around me who have terrible posture, including plenty of rounded shoulders and big bumps on necks and backs. Sometimes there are people who were once young and nimble who now are not even all that old, but find themselves unable to straighten up. My mother may not have known the term “ergonomics” at the time, but she understood the essence of creating the right environment for our bodies to function in a healthy way.

I thought I just naturally tended to slouch, but many conversations with health providers have convinced me that workplace ergonomics exist because no one naturally slouches. Our bodies are actually beautifully designed; slouching comes from not putting our back and abdominal muscles to work doing what they are intended for (keeping things straight). I have always admired professional dancers for their beautiful posture. Although their work can lead to repetitive strain injuries, they carry themselves very well.

So the question becomes: How do we strike a balance and maintain a healthy body without strain or injury?

Applied ergonomics can help! Dancing in a way that builds strength and muscle without the harm of overworking knees, hips, and ankles is very healthy. I was never much of a dancer, but I did play in concert and marching bands for many years. You have to sit up straight to get the air to blow into a wind instrument and you have to stand straight in the marching band in order to play and move at the same time.

Whether we dance, play musical instruments, or are avid runners, it’s all about taking note of where our body parts are and adjusting them when needed. At work, it means using the right tools for the job. Adapted handles to fit the way our hands grip and work, chairs that adjust to fit a range of sizes and body types, and even the weight of doors that we push or pull, all affect how ergonomic our environment is.

This doesn’t mean that we all have to take up an instrument, dance, or run. The point is to take note of what you are doing, what your body is doing, and then make a conscious decision to do it properly. Stand straighter, line your back up straight, and sit well at equipment that you use at work (whether it’s a piece of moving machinery or a computer). Grab a few friends and hire an instructor to lead a class where you can learn how to develop muscle tone, support your frame, and help you to stand straight and tall. That’s ergonomics at work and play.

For a great place to learn about workplace ergonomics, visit www.velsoftcourseware.com. Check out their training courseware for Workplace Ergonomics: Injury Prevention Through Ergonomics.