Don’t like the Jell-O? Find out what else you can do with a magic spoon in Ergotron’s latest award winning movie: B# At the Bedside.

Congratulations are in order for Joel Hazzard, our CEO, for winning the Upper Midwest Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Award in the Consumer Products Category.

Here’s what Joel had to say about it: “Of course the most important aspect of this is that our success is just that, ours (Ergotron). It is my privilege to accept the award on behalf of the entire Ergotron Family who all deserve recognition for being a company who has invigorated Ergonomics with a passion to help millions of computer and display users around the world.”

Joel was among six other leading entrepreneurs selected by an independent judging panel made up of regional business, academic and community leaders. Three other Minnesota executives were also awarded in the event, including Lee Anderson, chairman of APi Group Inc., who was honored in the Master category. The Technology-category award, to Ronald Konezny, CEO of PeopleNet, and Daniel Johnson, president of SearchAmerica, who won the Services Category.

The Upper Midwest program recognizes companies based in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. See here for the full Ernst & Young release.

Good luck to all the regional winners in the upcoming Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 national awards in November 2009.

Jane Payfer, Chief Marketing Officer @ Ergotron

June Campbell, www.nightcats.com/, wrote a post this week, The New Ergonomics. She encourages readers that “the trend of the new century is towards office furnishings and office equipment that encourage mobility.”

This is a great reminder for us all, as she says, since “prevention is not difficult. All that is required is that you move about regularly throughout the day.”

I was thinking about this article this morning as I got ready for work. I wondered if we here at Ergotron may assume our end customers know the importance of this “moving around” each day. 

Now I was applying some cream blush make-up  from Revlon at the time.  I’ve had this make-up for a while and do you know, for the first time, I realized that there’s a little tiny mirror in the make-up container?

Not earth shattering, but I’m sure the marketing people at Revlon would be SHOCKED that I could be completely oblivious to this extra feature.

But I was. In fact, if I had know it was there, I might have used both the mirror and the make-up more often. Maybe even have purchased a second cream blush by now.

The experience reminded me of a discussion I had with a nurse in the OB ward where my daughter is going to deliver our first grandbaby. Much to my delight, Ergotron’s products happened to be all over Fairview Southdale Hospital. 

Being the chief marketing cheerleader that I am, I showed the woman how to use our LX Wall Mount system. She was SURPRISED to see how she could move it around. And that by doing so it ensured she was maintaining eye contact with her patients while inputting the patients’ electronic medical records (it isn’t often that I get to actively demonstrate the idea of the triangle of care).

But it made me think. Is Ergotron any better than Revlon in getting our features “message across”? How much are we assuming?

We assume our end users will understand that they are advised to move around too during the day. We assume they purchased our products BECAUSE they moved, and will align to their personal preference, whether they’re sitting, standing or even slouching.

We assume they understand that it is for their OWN health and wellness to move around throughout the day.

But what if, like me, they don’t even know?

It’s a good reminder to look at things from a fresh perspective once in a while. From your make-up to your workspace, take a look around to see what differences surround you that could improve your life.

Daneen Kiger, Marketing Director - Global Channel Operations @ Ergotron

I was recently thinking about how many free hours do I really have to do something or nothing in my life, and came across this work/life calculator on ccn.com.

Daneen's Work Life Balance

I work and sleep 62% of my time, so 38% of my time I get to do whatever I want??  Here are some examples of what fills up my week:  

Meals  - 2.5 hours a day…during the week-quick and easy; weekends bigger meals and an occasional night out. (10%)

Commute – luckily my commute is only up to half hour each way – an hour a day without any traffic. (2%)

Leisure – exercise, reading, shopping, photography, on the computer, DVR TV, events. (10%)

Chores – I spend at least eight hours a week on laundry for 5 people and cleaning the house.  I’m a terrible duster, but if I’d get better at that I’d have to add an hour.  (5%)

Kids Activities (not an official category in the calculator) – this week mine adds up to 16.5 hours of homework help, baseball games/practice, religion classes and a choir concert.  (10%)

That leaves me with one extra hour for the week – I’ll be able to find something to do with that time. 

I’m happy with how I balance my time with work and family.  Are you happy with yours?  Will you change how you spend your time after calculating your work/life balance?

Give it a try – work/life balance calculator

Carrie Schmitz, Ergonomics Advocate and Engineering Publications Manager @ Ergotron

If ergonomists were looking for a mascot, my vote would go to Goldilocks−yes, I mean the blonde chick with a poor sense of boundaries. I’ve been working in the field of ergonomics for more than 10 years, and lately, I’ve begun to feel a certain kinship with the story-book character from my childhood days.

Let me explain: a few months ago I was helping a colleague assess the ergonomics of her work station; she had recently moved to a new department, and was suffering from neck stiffness and pain. After a taking a few measurements, I was able to verify that her desk and chair were set too high for her stature. Once the work surface was lowered, I invited her to try out a variety of office chairs, and a few minutes later I heard her exclaim, “This one’s just right!” that’s when it hit me: Goldilocks is all about ergonomics.

You know how the story goes: our heroine wanders into the house of the three bears while they’re taking a walk in the forest and proceeds to break several rules of etiquette along with poor little baby bear’s favorite chair.

But note, in the midst of this mad behavior, there was also method: just like a professional ergonomist, Goldilocks worked with a set of Standards!

Using herself as a subject, Goldilocks determined the suitability of the objects she encountered in the three bears’ home in much the same way a human factors specialist (another term for ergonomist), tests products: that is, empirically, through observation, experience and experimentation.

Moving from room to room, she established the safe temperature for eating porridge, gauged her chair size as it corresponds to either small, medium or large ursus horribilis, and put her stamp of approval on what she judged to be the most comfortable mattress for a mid-morning snooze.

In the real world ergonomists and human factors professionals work with hundreds of different human measurements compiled into tables of Anthropometric data that help shape our understanding of human physical variation and ultimately form the basis for decisions that affect every area of human experience and endeavor.

Take for example Ergotron. We manufacture mounting solutions for flat computer equipment, so we need to know how high a screen should be placed in relation to the keyboard, to ensure the safety, comfort and productivity of the computer user. A measurement which depends on the distance between the user’s eye and elbow.

But how does one define the term “user”?

By referring to an Anthropometric table, where data has been organized by gender, size and age, our designers know exactly what portion of the population to target. In some cases, a product will be designed to meet a range of sizes from the 5^th percentile adult female to the 95^th percentile adult male. If the product is meant to be used by school kids, the minimum and maximum heights are tailored accordingly.

Designing products that are universally acceptable is a daunting challenge for manufacturers, and ergonomists pay special attention to factors that might cause shifts in the Anthropometric data. The growing number of obese individuals in western society, has caused ergonomists to reassess the design of office chairs, and question the application of the Body Mass Index, a mathematical formula used by health professionals that takes into account both a person’s height and weight.

One of the earliest applications of anthropometry in Europe made it possible for law enforcement officers to identify criminals by body type or finger prints. NASA and the United States military in general, are major players in the field of ergonomics and human factors.

Their research has resulted in dozens of inventions that have become part of our daily life such as cordless power tools, protective sports gear, “space age” fabrics that regulate body temperature and more recently, a kitchen appliance that functions both as a refrigerator and an oven−something that might have come in handy at the three bears’ house!

As for Goldilocks, I admire her relentless curiosity and the presence of mind she demonstrated in strange surroundings. If asked what she learned from the experience, I imagine she might say, “I’m a size Mama Bear−not too large and not too small. What size bear are you?”

That’s “THE END” of this story. More to come on what ergonomics means in the world of work.

The following links provide more information about some of the terms mentioned in this article. Take a look:

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society on Standards

http://www.hfes.org/web/Standards/standards.html

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) on How Space Exploration Impacts your Daily Life

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasacity/index2.htm

CDC (Centers for Disease Control) on Growth Charts for Infants and Children

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/background.htm

WHO (The World Health Organization) on Body Mass Index

http://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp?introPage=intro_3.html

Christine Berquam, Marketing Operations & Channel Marketing Specialist @ Ergotron

I was out updating Ergotron’s Facebook fan page with some “Show us your TRON” shots from around Ergotron’s headquarters when I noticed a pic from Stefan Didak showing his home office setup. 

Stefan’s website also shows some great behind the scenes images that illustrate the ease of installation of his LX desk mount arms. It’s a comprehensive discussion, take a look. 

And oh, did I mention? He loves Ergotron!

If you are not already a fan of the Ergotron Facebook page, check us out. Upload pictures of your home or work setup in the “Show us your TRON” photo album.

We’re proud of all our little tronnies around the world and like to show you off.

Jane Payfer, Chief Marketing Officer @ Ergotron

I attended an interesting Brand Matters session at the U of MN Carlson School of Business this morning. Mary Rapaport, now VP of Marketing at Universal Hospital Services, spoke about her experience taking a 50-year old, Minnesota engineering based organization, Minco,  into the 21st century.  The integrated re-branding campaign she spearheaded in 2004 produced impressive results; revenues grew 40% the first year after this significant and comprehensive effort.

Ergotron had similar (even better) success when our new CEO, Joel Hazzard, took over that same year. Sales jumped from $58 million to $92 million, that first year, and have grown steadily since. Under Joel’s leadership, we pretty much overhauled and reinvented every aspect of the company,  BUT our ”brand.” 

It got me thinking.

Later this morning, while refilling my “signature” candy jar,  I off-handedly commented to a colleague that I was running out of my no-fat favorite Hot Tamales.  She suggested it was time for me to try something else in the candy jar. Another colleague, who happens to be named Mike, chimed in that he thought Mike and Ike’s would be a nice change for the summer. And then he said, get this: “Jane, you’re in marketing, you should be ready for CHANGE.”

OOOOOHHHHH.  Hard to ignore the  message when hearing it from two very different people on the same day, isn’t it?

I may be changing to Mike and Ike’s. Knowing what needs changing and knowing what doesn’t  are ongoing, important considerations marketing leaders wrestle with on a daily basis.

Jane Payfer, Chief Marketing Officer @ Ergotron

I found an interesting blog post, How to get your boss to let you play Wii at work on MINDdrift, by entrepreneur, David  Hauser, this week.  David works at GotVMail, and they actually get to play Wii while working.  

Not pulling any punches here, I especially liked his message because it gave a nod to an Ergotron product.  But beyond that it  really tapped into a growing issue; one that Ergotron is trying to get the world to pay attention to. 

To be at “peak performance,” people need to move around during the day. 

Many employees are digital slaves to their computers. We’re not just sitting most of the day, we are extremely sedentary at home too−where we frequently, routinely, do even more work.  As David indicates, it makes for “really agitated employees.” 

It’s also just not healthy for any of us. 

So, thanks for the nod, David.  And keep your eye on Ergotron. We’ll be coming out with more wellness promoting products later this year, that will help you move while you work.

Angela Swenson, Sr. Channel Marketing Manager - Global Distribution @ Ergotron

As a Channel Marketer I understand that our channel model accelerates sales by putting thousands of feet on the street selling our products, but the downside of this selling strategy is that it also puts us one step further away from our end user customers. 

This is why I was excited to participate in a panel discussion with a group of resellers at one of our distributor partners a few weeks ago with one of the topics being: what are they seeing out there in the marketplace.

These resellers, who primarily sell to SMB customers, agreed that what their customers want right now is instant ROI.  That coupled with extending payment terms or being a little more creative with their financing seems to recipe for success in closing sales during these touch economic times.

Ergotron has a 25 year history of developing products that make people more productive and comfortable.  In the 14 years that I’ve been working here, there has never been a time that being more productive was as important as it is in these economic times. 

With more people doing the jobs of many because of hiring freezes and layoffs, we’re all trying to find ways to get more done and stay sane at the same time. 

Having a workstation that not only fits you but also your work style helps you get more work done and be more comfortable while doing it.  In most companies their human capitol is their most expensive investment and the most difficult to replace.  

A happy and more productive workforce, now that’s instant ROI!  

I’d be interested to hear what your customers are telling you or how your own companies are doing more with less?

Steve Reinecke, MT (CLS), CPHIMS, Global Director, Health Care Industry @ Ergotron

Prior to HIMSS I asked, “How will HIMSS be different this year?”

Well, here are my observations.

First of all, it was obvious that there were fewer people walking the show floor than previous years.

However, while booth traffic at the Ergotron booth was down (less than 1%), the people who did come to our booth were not kicking tires, they were shopping!

The constant chatter around the booth was, “How can Ergotron come out with nine new products for Healthcare and yet so many other vendors had little new to show?”

Getting the most buzz? Our new StyleView VL Enclosure, and a live demo of the Enterprise StyleLink software.

Fortunately, even with the wireless issues that a huge hall like McCormick Place brings, we were able to connect remotely to three other partner booths and remotely view and administer their StyleView cart’s power systems. That was a very powerful demonstration.

We seeded a lot of product at the show for people to try out as a part of our StyleView4You Program for qualified hospitals. I look forward to hearing everyone’s feedback over the next several months. 

Now the real work begins.