People + Process = Performance

Gift Ideas for the Office Worker On Your List

You have so many choices for the office workers on your list.  There’s lots of cool devices and equipment on the market that also happen to fall under the “good” ergonomic category.  For non-office workers, I don’t mean to ignore you.  It’s just a fact that gifts for the office worker are much easier than gifts for the shop floor or outdoor worker.  There are just too many variables that go into non-office job to compile a meaningful shopping list.  So, here’s a list of gift ideas for your officemates, family and friends:

 

Keyboards:  There are tons of options out there as they come in different styles and size.  Before choosing which one to buy you need to the person and know how it will be used, i.e. is a number keypad needed, what is the person’s hand size, etc.  One of my new favorites is the Microsoft Sculpt.  The number pad comes separately so the mouse can be placed closer.  It also is somewhat curved for better hand position.  A nice travel keyboard that could be a fulltime keyboard for a person with small hands is the Goldtouch Go! Mobile keyboard.  It folds in half and it has the option to be “tented” to create the best angle for typing.

 

Mouse:  As with keyboards, there are so numerous types of mice on the market.  The one I most frequently recommend is the Evoluent Vertical Mouse.  It takes mousing from a palm down position to a hand shake (neutral) position.  Don’t want to reach for the mouse or for people who have shoulder issues, the Rollermouse Red is the best option.    

 

Smartphone or tablet:  These devices while very convenient are terrible for the body.  More people getting “iPad neck” and “iPhone thumb” than ever from frequent use.  Typing on one for any length of time is best done with an external device.  You’ll want to get one that is Bluetooth capable.  One that I especially like is the Kinesis Freestyle2 bluetooth.  It’s pretty close to a full size keyboard which makes it much better compared to those microkeyboards that are out there.  For tablets, a stand is must—it takes away the potential for iPad neck caused by constantly looking down.  There are several stands on the market.  One option is the Thought Out Stabile 2.0 iPad Stand.  The viewing angle is adjustable. 

 

Driving:  We all know that hands-free is important when driving.  If your office worker is also a road warrior and drives to all kinds of places, then buying him/her a dash/windshield/vent mount for the smart phone is a great gift.   

 

Sit-stand:  There is a wide range of options when it comes to sit-stand.  There are add-on devices that attach to the existing desk surface like the Ergotron Workfits.  There are desktop devices that sit on the desk surface like the Varidesk.  There are also devices that raises and lowers the entire desk surface which are sold by office furniture stores, Ikea and online merchants.  Which one to buy depends upon your budget and the work performed.  Take time to do your homework if this is what you are looking for. 

 

Happy fun shopping and Merry Christmas!