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Asking on behalf of a friend in another group.
>>
As our business has suddenly massively expanded over the last month, we've suddenly got a much larger team with us and I want to make sure they are always comfortable at work and never have to worry about any little personal emergency. I'm putting together a 'staff wellness box' and filling it with little lifesavers... I think I've got a pretty comprehensive box so far but feel like I'm missing something extremely obvious... What else can I add in here? We do also have a huge first-aid kit and great coffee but more looking for small helpful items here.
Currently have:
Ibuprofen
Paracetamol
Antihistamines
Sanitary towels
Tampons
Gender-neutral deodorant spray
Chewing gum
Throat soothing sweets (vocalzone)
Lemsip
...I just know that the one thing I don't have will be the most needed thing ever... What am I missing please? What are your workplace lifesavers?
An aside - my last lot didn't have pills for some stupid litigation risk reason
I wouldn't be putting any kind of medicinal things in there for starters. We're certainly not allowed them in the first aid box at work
LSD and crisps 👍
An aside – my last lot didn’t have pills for some stupid litigation risk reason
Yeah. Weirdly, anyone can give workmates Paracetamol unless they're first-aid trained in which case it's controlled. It's arse-backwards.
As I understand it, etc.
Safety pins
Sticking plasters (both in first aid kits but you don't want to raid that for a lost button or a paper cut)
Honesty pot of lipsalve (take it if you need it, but buy another to take its place)
Few packs of wine gums or jelly babies for a low sugar moment
Depends on work place but my wife has a spare pair of tights in her desk and has given them to someone else way more times than she's needed to use them (another to take when needed but replace)
Currently have:
Ibuprofen
Paracetamol
Yeah, that's a potential legal liability issue right there. If they need paracetamol give them a quid and they can go and buy thier own.
If it's an office environment, then decent chairs/desks/mouses go a long way, along with good lighting..ergonomics and all that...
But that costs money..
Have you considred dress-down fridays and free Pizzas?
Re tablets - aiui ok to make available (assume workplace is all adults) for people to make their own decision over, but should not be 'prescribed' especially by first aiders.
When I was a first aider our trainer said the exception she might make / break the rules for would be a chewed aspirin for a suspected heart attack.
Ooh, that reminds me.
A portable self use defib thingy - not for the box particularly but for people to know where it is and / or for first aiders. That's more useful than spare tights.
I can't believe there's not a knife.
What is someone brings a block of cheese to work?
Axe, wood burner, Audi, air fryer, pomegranate molasses, quinoa and dahl
my last lot didn’t have pills for some stupid litigation risk reason
The place I worked at in the 70’s had a fairly relaxed attitude to the contents of the Medical drawer in a cabinet in the office; there were large brown bottles of Aspirin and Codein, about 1000 in each…
Something I’d add to the well-being box - some packets of Jakeman’s throat sweets. I love them, they’re nice hard sweets that last ages when you suck them, because half of the sweet isn’t a syrup that vanishes in seconds. I prefer the lemon menthol ones, and I try to always have several packets around for if my nose gets stuffed up.
Antihistamine tablets - there’s always someone who suddenly reacts to pollen at unexpected times, and packets of 30 cost peanuts (😉) from supermarkets.
Some rolls of Micropore tape - much better than most other adhesive tape, it’s less affected by sweat, and instead of sticking plasters, which always fall off me after a couple of minutes, a piece of gauze taped on with micropore tape will stay in place for hours. Been using it for years.
Acouple of pairs of paramedics scissors/shears - brilliant things, no sharp points, slightly serrated edges so they’ll cut through most things easily, and again, very cheap; look on eBay and you’ll find them for about £1.50/pair. Every home should have a few pairs kicking around for general cutting duties.
Chocolate fondue fountain with organic waffles is a must.
Tissues
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
and a jazz mag.
Pickled onion Monster Munch
Dukla Prague away shirt
Joy Division oven gloves
Sanitary towels
If you pay your staff so little they have to beg for something like that from work... then yes you should probably provide them with free sanitary towels.
A sign that says:
Love
Live
Laugh
I think that will help people remain grounded and appreciate what they have and the people around them.
If you pay your staff so little they have to beg for something like that from work… then yes you should probably provide them with free sanitary towels.
Well, that was a leap.
If you pay your staff so little they have to beg for something like that from work… then yes you should probably provide them with free sanitary towels.
I think the implication is that they may not have any on them when needed... or that people might want to stick them to their feet and pretend to ice skate on a slippery floor?
Well, that was a leap.
It's more of a cross-legged waddle to the toilet, a leap could be dangerous for all involved.
Yeah. Weirdly, anyone can give workmates Paracetamol unless they’re first-aid trained in which case it’s controlled. It’s arse-backwards.
Yeah, that’s a potential legal liability issue right there. If they need paracetamol give them a quid and they can go and buy thier own.
I don't think there is actually a legal issue, but rather an "oh my god we might get sued" issue by people who haven't thought about the fact you can walk into any supermarket and buy those things, or ask a colleague and get as a favour... but I can see some practicality issues:
- if the stuff is rarely used the drugs will go out of date
- if the stuff is regularly used the drugs will end up empty unless you stock so many to be an actual suicide risk or check it daily!
- if its in a very visible place with women feel comfortable accessing the feminine hygiene products; if its out of sight will any of it be abused
Possibly consider:
- decent tissues (although ideally you dont want to encourage folks to work when sick - but then I would remove the Lemsip, which is probably a good idea anyway as two sources of paracetemol is a recipe for accidental overdose)
- compeed blister plasters if you are the sort of place where people wear formal shoes and so a lot of walking
- spare iphone and android charging cables secured in some way to the charger and wall so people can always charge but the cable never goes AWOL
- some disposable waterproof ponchos for when the heavens open and you didn't bring a jacket
- a bike puncture repair kit
- nail file or similar for "broken nails"
- I wouldn't go chewing gum - people are disgusting with it - but mints, mouthwash or even mini (hotel reception sized) toothbrush/paste
Are there shops nearby? When we used to be a mile from any shop we had a small "tuck shop".
It's an indoor location in town. Despite the "sudden massive expansion" statement they've probably just opened a second venue and doubled their staff from three. (I don't know exact details and may be off the mark, point is that this isn't a huge corporate.)
"Broken nails" isn't a bad shout as it's a hands-on job. Emery boards would be a good idea.
Sudocream?
Free Member
mattyfez has proven himself to be the sort of woman who always has spare sanitary towel in his handbag
This is definitely one of those threads that it's enjoyable to read the last comment first and then work back up! 😁
nail clippers for emergency fingernail breaks. Box of finger plasters.
This is a weird idea to me. Never had a workplace with stuff like this. Lemsip? Gtf. You need to be off sick if you need a lemsip.
Pills are a serious no no. Huge liability issue. Is the person allergic to ibuprofen? Do they have asthma? Liver issues?
Huge liabilty issue even supplying them.
You can buy four chinese fans for less than a tenner. What's the problem?
I can’t believe there’s not a knife.
What is someone brings a block of cheese to work?
Or Heaven forbid, a tomato 😮
I can't belive it's not butter!*
*that really annoys me.... use real butter or do not use butter at all.
He didn't arrive in a box but I think every office should have a Minty
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Maybe I'm just in a bad mood today - but I'd find this incredibly patronizing/infantilizing. "shat your pants at work again? Poor you! Come and see Janet who'll give you a wet wipe and a change of undies"
First aid kit in the kitchen, sanitary products in the ladies loos - anything else just feels like a solution looking for a problem.
Unless they are hiring a disprortionate number of recent school leavers/graduates that might have trouble managing their own basic needs/personal administration, feels more like something that somebody wants to do, rather than something useful.
batfink
Free Member
Maybe I’m just in a bad mood today – but I’d find this incredibly patronizing/infantilizing.
I don't know to be honest. Like many things it's well intentioned if a little lacking in focus at first but things improve and these little, inconsequential kindnesses can make a bit of a positive difference to somebody's day.
It all had to start from somewhere I suppose? I'm guessing there must have been a time when the thought of having a first aid kit in a work place seemed like lunacy but now I can walk down a high street and see a defib machine mounted on a wall.
I'll bet money that our emergency drugs box contains more fun things than yours. Although you do have to inject them, so there's that.
Puncture kit and pump.
Some folk seem to be missing the point. I Think its a good idea.
Box of mints?
Little sowing kit?
Hair bobble type things?
Im with batfink. Ill thought out and patronising and dodgy drugs supply.
I think its useful to have things like a nail file and spare tights and stuff like that. If there's showers at work, maybe even soap/shower gel.
Pills are a serious no no. Huge liability issue. Is the person allergic to ibuprofen? Do they have asthma? Liver issues?
Why? You can buy them from a supermarket without those sorts of questions being asked, you accept the responsibility when doing so - I don't see the legal position really changes if those items are provided free by an employer, they're not introducing a pill break and demanding everyone starts taking them. Sure, a first aider giving them to someone might have liability issues but not just a box you can take from if you need them. I also wouldn't have more than 2 x 16 packets in the box at any one time (given that's the most you could buy at one time without a prescription)
It's probably not a good idea if you have people with learning disabilities in the workplace though and there might be some liability around making sure any medication stays in date (not that I think the idea of providing such a box is a particularly good idea anyway).
It's a wellness box, surely it needs crystals?
And sachets of AG1.
If Tesco can sell them to adults, could a workplace.....for a nominal sum that you may or may not bother to collect.
In general I like the idea - though I might change the name. The "**** up box" maybe. Make it a bit less touchy feely / nanny state.
A huge tub of MSG
Patronising? FFS, there are some mardy pricks about aren't there. This is no more than "need a safety pin or a paracetamol - no need to tour the office asking for one, here's a box with some in"
Indigestion tablets?
And a dark quiet room.
Little sowing kit?
a tiny trowel & plant pot?
Small bag of John Innes? 😉
TBF, a sewing kit is one of the better suggestions so far!
toothpaste and some sealed cheap toothbrushes, maybe dental floss
A butter knife.
A cheque to allow early retirement.
A sense of reality for those who think doing a little bit to make work more comfortable for staff is patronising.
Little sowing kit?
Benefits will be reaped.
I dunno - I think that maybe being slightly inconvenienced by having to find a neurofen when you need one, might maybe be part of the process of nudging people towards being able to look after themselves…. Might occur to them to keep some in their bag/desk drawer/ glove compartment in future.
see also: “forgetting to apply deodorant” ffs
See forgetting to apply deodorant” ffs
See, being responded to a job in middle of the summer where you are inside a hot vehicle for over an hour, then when the roof is removed to exposed the bleaching sun for 30 minutes. All while wearing PPE, then to get back to find your bottle deodorant you had has fallen out of your bag.
I've been in a workplace that had Paracetamol in a vending machine. It's one way of getting around HSE advice about keeping them in FAK or being given to workers by other workers. There are additional safety stops that you have to enforce as well, but its not insurmountable.
Frozen sausages.
Hammer.
This is a weird idea to me. Never had a workplace with stuff like this.
but you worked in nhs and care homes - a weird dichotomy of being very caring and not caring about staff at the same time. I’ll bet in each workplace there was someone who had a magic desk drawer or handbag that could produce sewing kits, sanitary products etc for the less organised. This is just formalising the “office mum” without that kind hearted sole being out of pocket when chaotic staff forget their own.
Lemsip? Gtf. You need to be off sick if you need a lemsip.
100% agree
Pills are a serious no no. Huge liability issue. Is the person allergic to ibuprofen? Do they have asthma? Liver issues?
Huge liabilty issue even supplying them.
im not convinced. Got any case law? When someone was mid shift at the hospital with a splitting headache what did they do? If they asked a prescribing colleague did they take a full history etc?
It may actually be better for there to be a stable, well controlled, repeatable supply of the same drugs in the same place than to pretend that there isn’t someone in the office everyone else goes to in their hour of need who chucks whatever they have at people. I imagine my MiL was that person when she was working - she’ll happily offer her Diclofenac to anyone as “just strong ibuprofen”. Almost impossible to stop that culture in a normal workplace - but you could mitigate it by having OTC stuff on a self-serve basis. I’ve not checked the Medicines Act but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen paracetemol in a vending machine…
Assuming the idea of drugs doesn't get binned, has a packet of imodium been included in the list yet?
On my own first aid training it was emphasises that we are first aiders, not medics: Medics can provide medicine. The liability insurance provided for first aiders covers them for anything that occur as long as they were following their training, so they wouldn't be covered if they handed out medicines and something went wrong.
I wouldn’t be putting any kind of medicinal things in there for starters. We’re certainly not allowed them in the first aid box at work
Yep, this - I have painkillers at work but if anyone ever asks for them, I just say 'there's some on my desk but it is up to you if you want to take them'. I guess it's still a H&S fail, but I try to help.
Chainsaw? for adjustment of workplace culture and welfare
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Morning after pill.?
Keep your staff at work and save paying maternity leave
Some of those cardboard sick bowls. I was taken drastically ill at work a few weeks ago (labyrinthitis) and it would have been very handy to have some. I still have to apologise to the electrician about the Linbin we had to nick from his stores ....
I dunno – I think that maybe being slightly inconvenienced by having to find a neurofen when you need one, might maybe be part of the process of nudging people towards being able to look after themselves…. Might occur to them to keep some in their bag/desk drawer/ glove compartment in future.
It's an attempt to make the office a supportive environment, not some bootcamp for life.
Why? You can buy them from a supermarket without those sorts of questions being asked, you accept the responsibility when doing so
I remember having to do the "training" to sell it in a supermarket.
OK so it's only a 1 minute "they can buy 2 boxes of painkillers, and that includes a mix, don't re-serve them if they come back". It's over simplistic, but it's enough to stop the average person accidentally selling you too much lempsip and paracetamol at the same time even if it occasionally stops you doing something fine like selling paracetamol and ibuprofen together.
Yes it's daft, but so are people. They'll take paracetamol and nuromol or cold+flu, or lempsip, they'll take paracetamol for a hangover (whilst still probably unfit to drive), they'll take ibuprophen until they have stomach ulcers, and then take more for the stomach ulcers (I've actually done that one, I don't tolerate ibuprofen very well).
By saying "little personal emergency" its like saying they're insignificant compared to work and they dont care about their staff.
Personal life should always come before work.
Surprised no one on here has said a covid test given the high amount of paranoia some have previously sought attention over.
toothpaste and some sealed cheap toothbrushes, maybe dental floss
Especially for Smelly Dave
So if you popped a button off your shirt you'd say a little sowing box would be ignored and you'd be offended if work had a wellness box on the grounds it insinuated your a pauper.
Or if you got caught short at that time of the month it was the patriarchals atempt at making you feel 2nd class?
Ffs very odd. I'd think its a top idea and shows half a desire to look after staff.
Weirdly, anyone can give workmates Paracetamol on request unless they’re first-aid trained in which case it’s controlled. It’s arse-backwards.
Drugs shouldn't be freely available but having them about for someone to ask for is ok. As always a written record of the request to cover backsides.
Does anyone have any paracetomol? Ok
Here take this paracetomol, Not Ok!
The liability is that by supplying drugs especially if you are the first aider you are professing to have knowledge above that of the lay person without actually having that knowledge. "You have pain, here take this pill it will help"
This is basic negligence stuff.
No workplace i have ever been in would supply drugs because we understand the law of negligence and of supply of drugs
The reason i find the whole concept patronising is its someone who does not know me has made an assessment of my needs without any idea what they are and has spent money in stuff that is at best useless to me. Its all about being able to say what a great employer you are not about the staff at all
A bicycle.
that is a reasonable point tbf. Why not ask the staff (even by way of anonymous suggestion box!) what they'd actually need/use rather than a bunch of argumentative mountain bikers 😂someone who does not know me has made an assessment of my needs without any idea what they are and has spent money in stuff that is at best useless to me
@tj your needs?
If its for a work place environment its for anyone in that employment.
Its not for anyone individually its for everyone. Dont need it dont use it.
Like saying stuff your fruit basket. I hate banana's.
sanitary products in the ladies loos
Well someone needs to go on a gender bias awareness course....