Elevating Ergonomics Programs to Address the Whole Person

Demands facing the public entity sector remain high, and competition for workers is fierce. Many organizations today are tasked with providing more services with fewer resources. These conditions have raised interest and put a spotlight on the value of ergonomics.

Simply stated, ergonomics involves fitting the demands of a job to a worker’s capabilities. By ensuring the task, equipment and environment are optimized for the employee, not only is the potential for injury reduced, but also productivity may increase.

An Ergonomic Surge

The onset of the pandemic forced the overnight establishment of many home offices and the need to ensure proper set-up of equipment and workstations. While an ergonomic surge developed among those with office responsibilities, interest in ergonomics also increased for those in the field performing more physical and arduous tasks. Regardless of the working environment, ergonomics can prevent injury due to poor position, excessive force or high repetition. Such adjustments and practices are designed to dull the risk and effects of injury, particularly those arising from cumulative trauma that develop over time.

The Impact of Stress

In recent years, many ergonomic initiatives have resulted in improved equipment set-ups, the addition of accessories or scheduling realignments. However, if an organization believes they have made significant efforts toward reducing their physical risk factors and would like to take its ergonomic program a step further, consider evaluating the impact of stress on employees. Just as with physical risk factors, stress also involves an imbalance between the demands of a job and the worker’s capacity to cope.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an estimated 83% of U.S workers suffer from work-related stress.  Moreover, it is estimated that nearly one in five US adults live with a mental illness.

Such mental conditions can produce physiological responses in employees that can impact their daily work and make them more susceptible to injury.  For example, prolonged stress can increase muscle tension.  If this is coupled with repetitive tasks that require force, then it could increase the risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder.  Additionally, stress can have a negative impact on sleep. Insufficient sleep can lead to increased error rates that in turn, contribute to higher rates of rework, job repetition and increased risk.  Further, stress can have a negative impact on the body’s circulation; and, this may impede an employee’s performance or ability to heal from a cumulative disorder.

These observations point to the need for frontline managers and supervisors to identify employees exhibiting signs of stress and take steps to mitigate stress-inducing conditions. Signs of stress may be seen in increased absences or tardiness, declining performance or productivity, limited engagement or communication, and reduced physical capabilities or daily functioning.

Protecting Employee Well-Being

In these instances, there are steps an organization can take to maximize the effectiveness of their existing ergonomics program and protect overall employee well-being:

• Create a safe space or working environment where employees are comfortable sharing what is driving stress and what steps can be taken to alleviate it.
• Make the employee aware of benefits that are available to them. Many organizations offer an employee assistance program (EAP) or provide counseling for little or no fee as part of their benefits package.
• Introduce ergonomic practices that allow for increased job rotations, workstation adjustments, or more frequent rest periods. Both mind and body benefit from breaks throughout the day.
• Allow the employee to have a sense of autonomy and control over work and scheduling to the extent possible. This includes encouragement to share ideas and suggestions that will improve the workplace and work experience.
• Ensure the organization is complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, and any related federal or state statutes or mandates.

Ergonomic enhancements at the workplace are an excellent way to demonstrate care and concern for employees. However, it is important to remember that ergonomics, like any injury prevention or recovery program, should address both the physical and mental health needs of employees.  Only then can ergonomic principles and practices be maximized to achieve improved outcomes and results.

Source:  Workplace Stress - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs are those of each respective author. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*