Over the years, sedentary jobs have become more and more common in various industries. Coincided with working and living in environments that involve more sitting, is an increase in the volume of research investigating the effects of these types of occupations on people’s bodies.
The concept of ergonomics is often seen as a complicated concept that many people struggle to relate to their workstation, office or organization. What is worse is they don’t even know how office ergonomics can affect them even outside of work.
In this article, we will explain to you what ergonomics is and its significance in various businesses.
What is Ergonomics?
Human Factors and Ergonomics (commonly referred to as human factors) is basically the study of the interaction between people and the tools they use in the workplace. Ergonomics is the science of designing a workplace to meet the workers needs and as a result increase productivity and reduce discomfort to the worker.
People who study ergonomics are also tasked to look for ways on how to improve the design of the workplace in order to enhance the employees’ experience.
When looking at an office environment, there are countless areas where ergonomics could be deemed useful. The chairs people sit on, the desks they use or even their posture when typing — these are all components of ergonomics.
Why is Ergonomics Important?
Poor ergonomics can lead to chronic repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) such as carpal tunnel, as well as back, neck and joint pain. According to a recent study by the Norwegian State Institute they found that muscular soreness was the second most common cause of absenteeism at work after the common cold. This shows that if improvements were made to workstation design and seating, musculoskeletal pain related absenteeism could eventually decrease.
If you wish to complete Ergonomic assessments in your workplace, you can contact PHW Group today and make an online booking at phwgroup.com.au.
PHW Group is a team of experienced Physiotherapists and Allied Health professionals who aim to improve workplace health through creating office environments that are designed for safety, comfort and productivity.
PHW Group has been running workplace wellbeing programs for organisations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and across Australia. To book in an ergonomic assessment, contact us online or at 1300 198 077 or [email protected].
Melissa Radcliffe
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