Asking on behalf of a friend in another group.
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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.
