Smart working, the term used to describe home working, ‘hot desking’ and other ways of optimising employees’ time and space, is the hot topic covered in three new films on the Cardinus Risk Management YouTube channel.

The films were shot at a recent seminar in London where experts presented the opportunities and challenges of smart working. Guy Osmond of Osmond Ergonomics and Peter Verdegaal of Bakker Elkhuizen looked at the benefits of having a well-equipped and properly-managed home-based workforce. Mark Preston, head of consultancy at Cardinus Risk Management talked about the psychosocial aspects of smart working.

Jon Abbott, managing director – ergonomics and safety at Cardinus Risk Management, said, “Our workshops and seminars are always oversubscribed, partly due to the quality of speakers but also for the excellent networking opportunities they provide. Our speakers on smart working were first rate and we wanted to present them to a much bigger audience.

“The YouTube films have been edited but still provide a great flavour of the presentations. There is a lot of valuable information in them, including presentation slides. But we haven’t included the lively Q&As after each speaker. Only delegates at the events can participate in the discussions and networking, so the films are not a substitute for attending in person. They do give you a great idea of what to expect, though.”

See the videos online now at the Cardinus YouTube channel. Go to: www.youtube.com/cardinusrisk and click on the ‘Smart working seminar’ playlist link near the bottom of the page.

Smart working practices can save companies thousands of pounds a year in property costs and employees can reduce travelling time and costs, be more productive and enjoy a better work/life balance. But the practice has to be properly managed.

Cardinus produces an e-learning training and assessment course called Safety for Homeworkers. The e-learning software covers safety law relating to homeworking, display screen equipment (DSE) regulations, fire, electrical safety, manual handling, slips, trips and falls, workstation ergonomics and sitting comfortably and many other subjects. It provides online employee training and risk assessment in one easy to use package.

Cardinus can also offer telephone access to a consultant to discuss specific needs. To speak to someone about your organisation’s homeworking policy or to find out more about Safety for Homeworkers or any of the Cardinus products, call 020 7469 0200 now or email [email protected]. Visit the website at www.cardinus.com.