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Using Ergonomics to Ease Employees’ Return to the Office

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Strategies for returning employees to offices continue to evolve due to the emergence of new COVID-19 variants and changes in government regulations. While some workers may feel excitement and a renewed sense of focus, there is also notable hesitancy to be physically working side-by-side and accepting changes in the physical workspaces to which employees are returning. Many employees may be coming back to the office from less-than-ideal workstation setups at home, which could have been a source of pain and discomfort. On the other hand, new workstations or office layout changes can also create physical problems if these spaces are modified solely for COVID-related safety without considering healthy ergonomic conditions as well.

Employers may benefit from being proactive and planning for flexibility in the work space design to accommodate sudden changes. When designing and managing the new work environment and planning for flexibility to change layout and design as the pandemic continues to evolve, a concerted effort on ergonomics can help ease employees’ reintegration back into the office. This can help maintain a high level of work productivity and may even help with employee retention by creating positive workplace experiences and demonstrating care for workers.

Managing the new work environment

In recent months, the layout of many office spaces has likely changed to increase safety measures. Some companies are now moving to an open work model—commonly known as space sharing—where employees no longer have an assigned desk that can be customized to their needs. Other companies may be opting for layouts with greater separation between work desks, which can result in new ergonomic challenges such as reduction in the size of work area, increased reaching and awkward postures.

Feedback is important. Employers need to listen to how employees are feeling, what concerns they have, and what they physically need in the office to be set up for success. Ongoing, frequent communication is necessary to maintain trust and help employees feel at ease with changes in their work conditions. To proactively address any concerns, business leaders can utilize tools such as employee surveys and returning-to-office packages. Surveys are vital to gauge a sense of employee readiness and hesitations while also showing employees that their managers are listening to their concerns. Capturing employee feedback also helps employers prepare for potential setbacks.

Ergonomics training programs and self-help checklists can be successful tools to ease the return to office and help employees experience less physical discomfort as well as improve employee productivity, profitability and, ultimately, even job satisfaction. Ergonomics training should be customized to address the concerns employees may face upon return to the office environment. The training and checklists should provide guidance on solutions and adjustments that employees can implement in their workspaces to achieve maximum comfort and avoid the risk of injury.

Retaining employees

In November 2021, a record 4.5 million workers quit their jobs, and the Great Resignation has showed little signs of stopping in 2022, with January resignations falling just shy of that record at 4.3 million. It is clear that stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the key factors contributing to the labor shortage. Business leaders have found that a portion of the workforce may not feel safe or find it necessary to return to the office. There are many facets of such sentiments that employers must consider, and while ergonomics are not necessarily the driving concern for workers, employers can help move the needle by improving conditions for employees in as many ways as possible. Ergonomics initiatives and investing in the office environment offer ways to help improve employee morale and reduce discomfort and physical stressors that lead to injuries.

Implementing wellness routines can also help keep employees physically and mentally healthy. Business leaders should encourage workers to maintain healthy lifestyles, take regular breaks, and take days off to spend time with friends and family. Lastly, early intervention is key when addressing problems in the workplace. Leaders must provide clear resources for employees who have concerns. If employees have no direction on what to do when they have concerns, they are more likely to become dissatisfied and leave the workplace.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses to alter operations, and as the landscape continues to change, employee retention and workplace concerns could become even more at risk. When bringing employees back to the office, companies may experience more success if they implement and sustain their ergonomics programs, maintain ongoing communication, and create a workplace where employees’ well-being is clearly valued.

Six Tips For Risk Managers When Assessing Automation Hazards

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From a risk management perspective, one of the benefits of automation is that robots can play a significant role in reducing injuries when deployed to replace or support workers in high-hazard jobs, such as those involving high force and repetition. Yet, without appropriate risk assessments, their benefits can become skewed in other situations.

Unfortunately, many companies still make critical automation decisions without adequately engaging risk management, which can leave workers vulnerable to a new set of unanticipated workplace hazards. By some estimates, manufacturers will deploy 1.2 million new robots in the next decade; the expanding use of robotics may bring numerous new significant safety considerations along with a critical need for effective risk management.

As the trend toward greater automation gains momentum, here are six tips for risk managers to assess automation-related workplace hazards and help their organizations achieve the gains they envisioned with these major investments:

  1. Do not underestimate the value risk management brings to automation. Although automation is not new, companies still have much to learn about its effective deployment and implementation – especially in situations where the aim is increased productivity.
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     Risk managers need to be actively involved in assessing potential risks as automation purchasing decisions are made, as well as in planning and managing implementation, related employee training and post-implementation safety assessments and injury monitoring.

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  1. Initiate a dynamic dialogue. When the aim of investing in robotics and automation is specifically for productivity improvement, the starting point should be for risk and operations managers and safety/ergonomics experts to open a dialogue with workers in units designated for automation; they are much more flexible than robots and can offer insights on improving the workplace, reducing injuries and driving efficiency – either without significant investment or by focusing deployment of automation where it is likely to have the greatest impact.
  1. Focus on human factors with increased automation. As plants become more fully automated, the interface between the equipment and employees becomes increasingly significant. Historically, there has been an increased emphasis on automation, but an insufficient focus on the human interface. With more industries retooling plants and upgrading operations, the premium will be on the intelligent design of the next generation of facilities. It calls for the use of advanced tools, such as HumanCAD 3D, to analyze the impact of new equipment on human operators, production, and maintenance, as well as assessments from ergonomics and risk management professionals.
  1. Understand automation is not a panacea. Even the latest robotics may not address every issue, such as assembly tasks that require very fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and higher-level thinking (such as complex assemblies, part orientation, inspection and precision fits). The automation of some tasks ultimately could require higher rates of repetition in the upper extremities of workers. In this case, ergonomic workstation design, scheduled breaks and worker feedback will be keys to prevent injuries and achieve gains in quality and productivity.
  1. Do not overlook worker demographics. Although automation may help all workers raise their productivity levels, implementation should account for the needs of an aging workforce. Businesses with multiple manufacturing facilities may have to refine workstations, signage, and lighting in areas with higher concentrations of older workers to achieve consistent productivity gains across all operations.
  1. Monitor potential worker safety issues with new product designs. Some forward-looking organizations are pushing for the application of design rules and human factors analysis to evaluate the “Design for Assembly and Ergonomics” (DFMAE) process. In these situations, product designers and advanced manufacturing equipment engineers collaborate with ergonomists to evaluate new product designs and the manufacturing equipment that goes with it. Until such approaches become widespread, it makes sense to check how new product designs might affect assembly workers.
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    Even slight adjustments in product design, manufacturing equipment or workstations can make the job easier and less stressful for employees without expensive robotics.

Investments in highly sophisticated equipment require thorough evaluation of all potential risks involving the interface between the equipment and employee. In some cases, operating equipment may expose workers to a range of injuries, such as repetitive motion issues. And high-speed mobile equipment can pose an outright danger on a factory floor without the delineation of designated “safety zones.” As key members of their organization’s automation team, risk managers play a critical role in anticipating and assessing exposures, developing remedies and facilitating success to ensure robots are working in collaboration with employees and not creating new, unanticipated risks.

Weighing In on Stand-Up Workstations and Exercise Balls

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Stand-up workstations and exercise balls used for sitting in place of an office chair are gaining popularity.

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This has been fueled by reports of workers at Google, Facebook and other companies trading in their chairs to stand, or bounce, while working. They cite studies of the harm that hours of sitting can do.

Even here at the RIMS office several employees prefer sitting (or bouncing) on exercise balls to the familiar rolling desk chair, or working at a stand-up desk. Risk professionals have long been discussing the merits and downsides of these two popular choices.

But are these alternative ergonomic preferences really that beneficial?

Recently in an online discussion, some members of the RIMS Opis community said they were not in favor of exercise balls as ergonomic solutions. A risk manager in Oregon stated it bluntly: “Exercise balls should be limited to fitness programs.

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Your [workers comp] will own the injury if an employee slips off the ball and hits [his or her] head or has a soft tissue injury from the fall.” Several other commenters agreed that the balls are unstable and their use is discouraged or officially prohibited.

A CEO said: “While great for encouraging engagement of your core muscles during exercise, [balls] are not good for sitting at a workstation and in fact, research shows, increase your risk of ergonomic injury.”

In fact, some research has found their benefits negligible. A study of 28 subjects found that exercise or chair balls offer no advantages over a traditional workplace chair. According to a study by BioMed Central:

Results:

The results showed no significant difference with regard to spinal curvature between seating types. Initial sitting curvature was found to increase significantly over 30 minutes in both the desk chair and stability ball. In addition the results of the usability questionnaire showed a significant difference in three of the eight questions, in favor of the desk chair.

Conclusion:

No benefits were found through sitting on a stability ball over that of a desk chair in prolonged sitting as both seating types were found to replicate a poor sitting position through a kyphosed [outwardly curved spine] and slumped posture. The clinical implications of this study serve to benefit any healthcare professional considering use of the stability ball as a replacement desk chair.

In another online comment, a Missouri risk manager suggested a compromise, elaborating that while his organization allows their use, “They cannot be free-standing balls… they must be part of a chair ball with wheels and a seat backing.”

Stand-up desks received more positive feedback. Several risk professionals cited research equating excessive sitting and sedentary lifestyles with serious chronic health problems. A number of commenters shared anecdotes about how stand-up workstations have helped employee health issues. Several users noted that in their newly renovated, or soon-to-be-renovated, offices, stand-up workstations are de rigueur.

Who pays for these workstations? Most who commented said, or implied, that their companies foot the bill for stand-up desks if an employee requests them. Most seem willing to make the investment based on reports that providing ergonomic options can reduce workers comp claims.

Not all are sold on the benefits, however. A commenter from Chicago said, “As odd as it sounds, stand-up desks may not be wholly safe…. People get tired and fall down using them. And there is no confirmation standing is less stressful than sitting. Folks very quickly started to complain of sore hips, knees, feet and spines.”

A Virginia risk manager shared the wisdom of moderation and the middle ground, saying, “While sitting is bad—and the motive for getting a standing desk—standing all day can cause myriad lower back, leg and feet issues. It would be similar to what risk managers at grocery stores have to deal with their cashiers on their feet all day. Interspersing standing with sitting is key.”

Some researchers agree with this conclusion. A New York Times article reported that 15 minutes per hour at a standing workstation is recommended over standing all day.