Protecting the health of office workers

, global strategy director at a design firm, which has worked for Facebook and Yahoo, says: “We’re now hyperaware of health risks…. And employers are hypersensitive about the potential for liability, if people get sick at work.”

Obviously, the open-plan workplace is no longer effective. Some experts favour a return to smaller office spaces and to working from home. The very purpose of the workplace is challenged. According to a recent article by the multidisciplinary professional services organisation ��‘Understanding who needs to be in the space and how employees are motivated is core to rethinking the need for square footage, where space is located and how it’s designed.’

Technology facilitates alternative working concepts

Technological tools allow employees to remain in contact and to exchange information and data securely.

These include instant messenger, tele-conferencing through Zoom, Skype or Hangouts, and sharing information on a designated, secure cyberspace. Moreover, they are easy to use and new ones are being developed all the time.

Also, specially designed software manages staggered work schedules and shifts to reduce the number of workers in the office at any given time.

The pros and cons of working from home

Without doubt, working from home has many advantages. Among others, it increases career opportunities for people in rural communities, for the disabled and for parents of young children.

According to , eighty percent of people questioned prefer working from home. Forty-one percent say that they are more productive than ever before and twenty-eight percent that they are as productive as working in the office.

In fact, the trend for working from home is so strong that De Plazaola predicts firms will start subsidising the upgrade of home offices, to make them ergonomical and more efficient.

On the downside, people working from home miss the sense of belonging to a team, as well as the social connection with colleagues at the office. These negative feelings can escalate over time and lead to depression and other mental health problems.��

New types of offices using technology

To avoid adverse effects on mental health, Amanda Stanaway, a Sydney-based architect and consultant, proposes ‘the distributed office’. This is a cluster of smaller offices, located closer to the homes of employees. This way, workers can walk or cycle to work, avoiding exposure to viruses on public transport.

As Stanaway comments: “Having small groups of people working collaboratively would address the need for connections and improved mental health, but without risking massive exposure”.

The role of technology in making the office a hygienic space

In order to protect the health of employees, offices are expected to borrow elements from the design of hospitals.

For example, materials must withstand heavy duty cleaning agents. While air-filters and ultra violet light will sanitise the circulating air in centrally air-conditioned buildings. Sinks for frequent hand washing will be installed in the reception area, conference rooms, cafeterias etc.

To minimise contact with contaminated surfaces, designers propose the ‘contactless office’. Specifically,�� sensors, or voice activated technologies, or even commands through smartphones will operate buttons in lifts, coffee machines, light switches, toilet flushes and audio visual equipment.

To prevent sick people from entering the building, the safe workplace of the future will have thermal cameras at the entrance, as used in airports.

How productive can a sterile office be?

The technology is there to ensure facilities and processes are in place to protect the health of workers. Yet, can such a sterile office environment foster creativity, encourage team work, or promote innovation?

Large employers like Twitter and Google, large banks and big corporations have announced that their employees no longer need to return to the office. They can continue to work remotely well into 2022 and beyond.

So, what will become of existing large office buildings?

Traditionally, society has viewed corporate buildings as representations of the history, the personality and the core values of an organisation. An imposing HQ building was a way to establish a good public image for the brand and the products or services it offers, and to attract the best available talent.

However, this is no longer the case. Because, in this digital age, people rely for information on the Internet more than on real life experiences. People no longer walk casually in the city centre, past impressive corporate buildings to admire them and want to work in them.

The most effective advertising nowadays is through digital media: social media, websites, Google.

Therefore, large corporate office buildings, which are no longer used, maybe turned into rental apartments, hotels, or hostels.

What is hoteling?

Another new concept facilitated by technology is hoteling. This involves the allocation, or the rental, of office space for a specific number of hours.

In a hoteling system, searching for an office space, booking, paying, checking in and out are all handled centrally, using specially developed software. Similarly to the services of a concierge at an actual hotel.

Employees check in and use the reserved space, which may be a single desk or a large conference room with audio-visual equipment etc. The system arranges for the provision of IT access, and takes care of special requests.

In fact, hoteling is becoming so popular that there are consulting firms advising how to .

A similar approach to hoteling is ‘hot desking’, a system that assigns office space on a first-come, first-served basis, also operated through special software.

Adapting to change

Whatever the future of the workplace, the pivotal role of technology in keeping us connected in difficult and in good times will continue.

As a result of the measures for the pandemic, millions of people embraced videoconferencing and other forms of digital contact with excellent results.

With tele-work organisations can attract talent from anywhere in the world. They can adopt innovative processes to boost productivity. In fact, they can create an even stronger workplace culture, while significantly reducing costs.

This is why advanced technology is very important for the workplace of the future, whatever form it may take. Online meeting spaces with video conferencing technologies can replace conference and board rooms. Also, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies will promote brands online. Whilst corporate websites will replace corporate buildings as representations of an organisation’s culture and values.

The digital age brings technology and computer science at the forefront. Hence, demand for well-trained professionals in IT and web design is growing all the time.

Choose an Information and Technology (ICT) related career

So, if you find digital technology and computers fascinating, why don’t you apply for a relevant Bachelor or Master’s qualification? It may help you launch a great future career.

If cost is a challenge, you can apply to for a generous scholarship and easy, monthly payments of fees. Unicaf also helps working professionals to keep their job and salary and study online, in their own free time.

The Unicaf digital platform hosts a state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment, which facilitates online study. The VLE provides everything a student needs from enrolment to graduation. This includes, access to study materials and the e-library 24/7, as well as interaction with internationally qualified tutors and students in 156 countries.

Apply to Unicaf University’s technology study programmes

is a pan African, multi campus institution offering quality higher education.

The University is one of Unicaf’s partner institutions.

Its programmes, coupled with generous Unicaf scholarships, are offered online or on campus, in different locations across Africa.

Unicaf University degrees are internationally recognised and accredited by local educational authorities. In addition, the Malawi and Zambia campuses of the University are also internationally accredited by the British Accreditation Council, based in the UK.

The Unicaf University BSc in Computer Science

Computer science is a rapidly growing field of the Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector. Computer scientists develop the systems and software that enable computers to operate. This requires an understanding of algorithms and associated mathematics.

provides students with the technical skills they need to launch their career in this field. Furthermore, modules on management, innovation, entrepreneurship, and e-business train graduates in the management and business side of the ICT sector.

During this four year Bachelor degree students study a variety of modules. These range from Computer Organisation and Operation, to Programming, Statistics, Data Structures and Algorithms, Database Management, Software Engineering, Web Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Network Security, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.��

The Unicaf University MSc Web Design and Development

studies in depth the principles of Web Design. It imparts all necessary skills and knowledge to create professional web designers and web developers.

Students learn how to design and develop high quality websites, which are user-friendly, efficient and attractive. Upon graduation, they can work as free lancers, or as employees in the private or the public sector.

The programme’s modules include Content Management, Applied Art for the Web, User Experience Design, Social Media and Search Engine Optimisation, Programming and Scripting, Cyber Security and Web Technologies.

The Unicaf University MBA Management Information Systems

provides the technical expertise and business skills needed to secure advanced positions in the IT and business sectors.

Graduates gain advanced skills in software and hardware, network administration and database systems to prepare for a successful managerial career in the industry.

Modules include Finance and Strategic Management, Theories of Management, Business Function and Procedures, Strategic Development, Strategic Leadership and Practice, Web Design and Development, Business Data Communication and Security, IT Project Management.

The computer lessons are offered to interested secondary school leavers 2017/18 as a way of giving back to the community, within the framework of the University’s programme of Corporate Social Responsibility. After an introduction into computers in the campus amphitheatre, students have the opportunity to practice working on computers at the University’s computer lab.

The lucky school leavers taking the free computer lessons are excited about the training and the relevant certificate they receive, which not only enhances their CV, making them more employable, but also opens up for them the digital world and its infinite possibilities, including online delivery of higher education.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO ALL MEDIA����

Another milestone in Unicaf University’s rapid expansion and development was the announcement this month by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants that the University’s BSc in Accounting and Finance degree programme has received nine exemptions in the ACCA qualification examinations. After assessing the programme for accreditation, ACCA has awarded graduates of Unicaf University’s BSc in Accounting and Finance a total of nine exemptions in the professional ACCA examination papers, that lead to the professional qualification of Chartered Certified Accountant and membership of the internationally recognised organisation.

The ACCA is the leading authority on matters concerning professional accountants, including education. The exemptions awarded to graduates of the BSc Accounting and Finance degree of Unicaf University is further proof of the University’s high standards, which serve in offering students higher education of international quality and recognition, resulting in well-trained, knowledgeable professionals, who are able to secure good positions in the local and international job markets, after graduation.

Unicaf University was created to transcend the usual boundaries of time and space in higher education, by offering fully online or blended learning degree programmes, the latter taking full advantage of the benefits of online delivery, through UNICAF’s Virtual Learning Environment, and of face to face tutorials and lectures at the University’s campuses and learning centres. Currently, UNICAF and Unicaf University have a physical presence in ten locations in Africa with several more expected to be established very soon.

Eligible applicants can benefit from the generous UNICAF Scholarship Programme, bringing enormous discounts to the fees of partner universities. Online students can keep their jobs and salaries, and also save by staying at home throughout their studies. Everything they need for studying is provided to them through the digital platform, the VLE. Studying is based on modules, allowing students to concentrate on a particular subject, take the relevant exam and then take some short time off, if needed, to attend to work or family matters. The students decide the pace at which they learn, as well as the times when they do their studying. With rolling intakes, anytime is the right time to enrol with Unicaf University.

To find out more visit or

IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO ALL MEDIA��

UNICAF is proud to be a supporting sponsor to the upcoming Exsilio Conference at the University of Lagos,��on August 9th, 2018.��The mentorship conference, designed to prepare students for the challenges awaiting them in the business and career world, once they graduate from university, has invited remarkable personalities, who have excelled in their professional careers, to speak and to mentor participating students. The theme of this year’s Conference is “Success in the 21st century” and 4,000 students are expected to attend.

As a sponsor of the Exsilio Conference, UNICAF offers all invited panel guests and participating university students in their penultimate, or, final year, 75% scholarships to study online toward quality undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the prestigious University of South Wales in the UK and multi-campus Unicaf University. UNICAF also offers students attending the Conference massive scholarships on Professional Development Short Courses, offered online through Unicaf University.

UNICAF is the most generous scholarship programme available today and aims to assist every eligible individual, who has the wish to study at university but lacks the financial means, to make their dreams come true. UNICAF’s state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment provides everything a student needs to complete a high quality degree programme online, from enrolment to graduation. Prospective students can choose from a wide selection of internationally recognised Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD degrees. UNICAF aims to impart cutting edge knowledge and skills, which are highly relevant to the modern, global workplace, at a fraction of the original cost, and enables students to ‘earn as they learn’ , by keeping their jobs and salaries throughout their studies.

You can learn more about UNICAF at

IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO ALL MEDIA

A new recognition of multi-campus Unicaf University��came with the announcement that the University has been accepted as a member of SARUA, the Southern African Regional Universities Association. Unicaf University joins other top ranking universities, who appear on the list of SARUA members, (), like the University of Cape Town.

SARUA, founded in 2005, is an association of universities in the 15 countries of the��. Its purpose is to contribute in revitalising and developing Higher Education in the southern part of the African continent, to create qualified, informed leaders, who can respond effectively to the many challenges faced in the region. SARUA’s purpose is in line with Unicaf University’s vision to provide affordable and flexible higher education of international quality in every country in Africa, aiming to raise local standards and educate the continent’s future leaders.

In partnership with the UNICAF Scholarship Programme, one of the most generous programmes of its kind available today, Unicaf University offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, which have an international perspective and a strong local focus, at a fraction of the original cost. By providing options for fully online study, or blended learning, (which combines online delivery with on ground support), Unicaf University enables working professionals to keep their jobs and salaries and young parents to care for their families throughout their studies.

Unicaf University offers a wide range of degrees, from Business, Economics and Accounting to Teaching, Tourism, Engineering, Psychology, Public Health, Information Technology and more, at Bachelor, Master’s and Doctorate level. Unicaf University degrees are internationally recognised and locally registered and accredited. Furthermore, in partnership with the reputable University of South Wales in the UK, Unicaf University enables students in Africa to pursue a British degree online, and graduate on campus in the UK.

The two state-of-the-art campuses of Unicaf University in Lilongwe – Malawi and in Lusaka – Zambia, have been attracting thousands of students from the region, thanks to the high standard of instruction, the affordability and flexibility provided and the good reputation of the University. This success has led to plans to establish Unicaf University campuses in many other African countries in the near future.

Unicaf University is proud to have become a member of SARUA, and is aiming to contribute to the association’s platform for regional Higher Education leadership, dialogue and collaboration, advocating Higher Education as the significant contributor to national and regional development.

Designing and maintaining an effective healthcare system has been of primary importance for the majority of nations in the last decades. Take Kenya, for example, where , has made the provision of effective healthcare a matter of national priority. , the plan provides for heavy investment into creating a universal healthcare programme, for all citizens of Kenya, with individual attention and resources directed to the prevention of disease.

Once a particular healthcare system is agreed upon by all stakeholders, the next major issue is the competent management of available resources and facilities, to successfully implement the mission and attain the vision of the system, in a sustainable way, that will benefit not only the present but also future generations. As a result, the role of the manager in healthcare organisations is growing in importance, along with the rapidly changing healthcare industry, in all parts of the world.

Programme focuses on training skilled administrators and managers, who can establish and operate an efficient healthcare system. The Programme builds on the established strength of the management core syllabus, to provide expertise in the unique elements and issues of the healthcare industry. Graduates of the programme develop an understanding of problems present in the administration and finance management of healthcare systems, and acquire the skills to solve such problems creatively and effectively. Students develop knowledge and practical skills in, among others, Operational Management, Health Economics, Financial Management of Public and Private Health ̽������, Human Resource Management, Strategic Development and Strategic Leadership in the health sector.

This highly specialised MBA has an interdisciplinary basis, focusing on both Management and Health Economics, (including Hospital Administration, Total Quality Management, Financing and Planning of Health ̽������), as well as on important sectors of Public Health within the broader context of social policy, like Epidemiology, Sociology of Health and Sanitary Engineering.

The Unicaf University MBA Health Management Programme is now available to eligible applicants at a fraction of the original cost, with an up to 50% UNICAF scholarship. The MBA is offered online, or through blended learning, which combines online delivery with classroom teaching, and is available at specific locations.

For more information about the MBA Health Management degree, the UNICAF Scholarship Programme and how to apply, please visit

IMMEDIATE RELEASE ALL MEDIA

An agreement has been signed between Unicaf University and NAMISA, the Media Institute for Southern Africa, Malawi chapter, for the award of a number of UNICAF scholarships for the Unicaf University Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree programmes. NAMISA is a non- governmental organisation, established to promote media freedom and freedom of expression, as well as to safeguard the competency and professionalism of journalists across southern Africa.

Unicaf University collaborates with various organisations in the countries it operates, to give back to society in a meaningful and sustainable way. By sponsoring the NAMISA Media Awards, Unicaf University exhibits its strong support to the media as agents for development and progress, while also helping promote journalistic excellence.

NAMISA Chairperson Teresa Temweka Ndanga and more than 15 journalists, members of the NGO in Malawi, attended the signing of the collaboration agreement. Speaking at the ceremony, Unicaf University Malawi campus Vice Chancellor Professor Kuthemba Mwale said he was grateful for this new union, which will serve in making the name of the University, its degree programmes and public events widely known, and will also inspire journalists to further their education, knowledge and skills.

NAMISA Chairperson, Ms Teresa Temweka Ndanga, expressed the organisation’s gratitude for what she described as “a historic partnership between UNICAF and NAMISA, and the broader media fraternity in the country…. that will motivate and inspire journalists and the media at large to strive for high standards of journalism”. She added that the Overall Winner Award, which will now include a full UNICAF scholarship for any degree programme of Unicaf University, is the most coveted of the NAMISA Media Awards and goes to the entry, which exhibits high quality reporting, accuracy, balance, fairness, takes into account the public interest and is based on solid research.

The NAMISA awards, which are presented every year on May 3^rd, on World Press Freedom Day, aim to promote journalistic specialisation, by motivating journalists to focus on a particular field or subject, such as health, economics, or human rights. The entries to the competition are judged by a panel of experienced judges, taking into account their originality, impact, consistency, courage, investigation, analysis and gender awareness.

Ms Teresa Temweka Ndanga said that this year the Overall Winner of the NAMISA awards will receive a full UNICAF scholarship to further their studies, while any journalist member of NAMISA can apply for an 85% UNICAF scholarship to study towards any Unicaf University degree programme, opening up more opportunities for the entire sector, inspiring journalists to strive for excellence, thereby elevating media standards, both within the country and at the international level too.

For information about the range of degree programmes available from Unicaf University visit��