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RACA Journal Publication
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WELLBEING MOVES UP THE LIST OF BUSINESS PRIORITIES
Not only has building health and indoor air quality become a growing focus this year , along with many other factors in sustainability , quickly moving up the list in various organisations and to varying degrees – has been the general wellbeing of employees .
Recently having read several articles that came up on my feeds , was the subject of companies taking the steps to have staggered forced shutdowns or ‘ time-outs ’ - which I thought was particularly odd given that lockdowns to differing degrees continue around the world as the pandemic effects are navigated according to particular circumstance .
Doing a little more research around what is going on , I found a bounty of information and statistics relating to the fact that through the pandemic , the digital technology that we have all had to ‘ learn to deal with ’ has actually made business harder , and the new term of ‘ digital fatigue ’ has become the origin of many new studies and concerns for global leaders .
The result being that many people ( both employers and employees ) are just not taking breaks anymore , many are overloaded or overwhelmed , while others have been working from home and don ’ t actually know how to separate business and home life , and so are stuck continually feeling ‘ unbalanced ’. Digital engagements take up far more of everyone ’ s time as the supposed convenience is not having to travel from place to place and therefore loading days with virtual meetings back-to-back has become the norm .
One social media influencer interestingly noted , “ Business leaders these days have a bunch of new responsibilities on their plate – and that includes ensuring employees rest and recharge . They need to understand there is a direct relationship to loss of energy and revenue caused by work fatigue . This is a new skill for most because you can ’ t tell how people are really doing when you have been stuck engaging with teams or individuals virtually – there is no body language to reference or pick up on any underlying symptoms such as change of mood .”
Other recent articles published by healthcare providers confirm this through the increase of mental health support and treatments that have increased dramatically since 2020 , showing that getting
www . hvacronline . co . za into a new way of life is much harder for most to deal with and therefore new approaches are needed for same or similar situations into the future . Something more to think about .
In this issue , we cover various local and international news and updates . We carry our regular contributors and other opinion pieces . We further cover the latest 6-star Green Star rated building in Cape Town : The Ridge , as this issue ’ s project that has everything from eco bricks to automated indicator lights to show occupants when to open or close windows based on ambient outdoor conditions , and a unique thermal building system design .
Our feature covers building management systems and a look into the past and future of how these systems have evolved as well as what we can expect in smart cities of the future . Our technical in this issue is a white paper on the use of ultraviolet light as a disinfection mechanism .
If you are interested in becoming a regular contributor to the RACA Journal , please get in touch with me as the time is now to take up this opportunity . Please feel free to call me or send me an email and we can discuss what being a contributor entails and how you can be a part .
Also , if you have any projects , news , events , or occasions you would like to share or let us help you celebrate , please do let us know . Remember we have many platforms to let you speak to the industry including print and digital , online , newsletters , dedicated mailers , and social media . We also adhere to the protection of personal information act ( PoPIA ).
This month ’ s quote I thought was apt as some people are stuck in a particular mindset about serious business , and keep doing things the way they always have been done – while the world continues to change and adapt to new ways of thinking and doing …
“ Having fun isn ' t an enemy of efficiency . It ' s fuel for finding flow . Play also isn ' t a reward for finally making it through your to-do list .” – Adam Grant
I trust you stay safe and have a great month ahead ! RACA
Ben
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