Insurance Intermediary Kwik-Fit Insurance is offering all left-handed employees specially designed work tools and provisions to assist their working lives, to mark the National Left Handerís Day (August 13).
With left-handed people now making up around 10% of the UK population, employers still often ignore the left-handed population and their unique requirements.
Kwik-Fit Insurance however, with an estimated 100 left-handed employees, is making sure all of its people are at the top of their game by providing some essential tools to help them with their daily workload.
Occupational Health Nurse for Kwik-Fit Insurance, Dorothy Sneddon speaks about the provision the business provides to its staff. She said: ìThere is much more to being left-handed than just the hand you write with. Lots of daily activity that people take for granted is affected ñ the side a door opens for example, the knobs on a cooker, the taps on a sink, the set up of a desk or work station ñ even things like peeling potatoes and opening tins can prove to be very problematic.î
ìThe issue of left-handedness in the workplace is more serious than you would think, and working in what is effectively a back-to-front environment can be pretty unsettling.î
ìAt Kwik-Fit Insurance, many of our people come to me for advice and support regarding their working environment. I carry out workstation assessments on a regular basis and put forward suggestions to make them a little friendlier for that specific user e.g. having the computer mouse at the other side of the keyboard or even having a left-handed mouse, having the desk phone on the left, the provision of flexible headsets, and having a set of stationery that is specially designed for use in the left hand ñ these are all simple steps that can make a huge difference.î
ìKey things included are a notebook, pen, scissors, anti-clockwise sharpener and ruler. Many of us donít even realise how these items are directed solely for right-handed use! To be provided with the correct materials makes our employees much happier and productive in their jobs.î
Left handed employee, Kirsty Campbell from Cumbernauld is delighted with the steps the company has taken to accommodate those who donít write with their right hand. She said: ìI am really pleased that Kwik-Fit Insurance has spent some time and money investing in us ëleftiesí!î
ìMany joke that being left-handed is trivial but when everything is the wrong way around things can become a lot more difficult and annoying. The advice from Dorothy along with our new work tools will certainly make life much easier.î
Recent studies have indicated that the number of left-handed people is increasing across the world. There is evidence to suggest there are also some significant differences between left and right-handed people. Australian research published last year found left-handed people can think quicker when carrying out tasks such as playing computer games or playing sport, and French researchers concluded that being left-handed could be an advantage in hand-to-hand combat.
Insurance Intermediary Offers Employees a Kwik Hand!
Kwik-Fit Insurance is offering all left-handed employees specially designed work tools and provisions to assist their working lives, to mark the National Left Handerís Day (August 13)
