When you think of ergonomics, you probably think of how desks are positioned, using the correct chair, and ensuring the correct height for your computer screen. Ergonomics does include all of those things. Of course, they all come under physical ergonomics. Ergonomics spans so much more than the physical products you select for your team and office though.
Ergonomics is a discipline that seeks to understand how humans interact with their existing systems and discover how their wellbeing and productivity can be improved.
Good ergonomic design is all about removing the inefficiencies and incompatibilities between the human and the work. When implemented correctly, it creates better productivity and efficiency, prevents injuries, and improves the quality of work produced.
Ergonomics falls into three core categories:
- Physical ergonomics
- Cognitive ergonomics
- Organisational ergonomics
Physical Ergonomics
The physical element of ergonomics is most people’s go-to response when they’re asked what ergonomics is.
The physical is the side of ergonomics that prevents injuries and conditions and allows workers to continue to produce high-level work consistently.
Using a range of physiological and biomechanical considerations, we design better workplaces and workstations.
This might mean going into an organisation and designing the height, size and time spent at each desk or station.
Or, it might mean we look at the organisation’s previous injury claims to find the common themes and find a custom solution to that specific problem.
Physical ergonomics can be as simple as defining set break times to prevent overexertion and can progress to full-scale product selection and implementation.
Or, it might mean we look at the organisation’s previous injury claims to find the common themes and find a custom solution to that specific problem.
Physical ergonomics can be as simple as defining set break times to prevent overexertion and can progress to full-scale product selection and implementation.
Generally, the biggest benefit of physical ergonomics is injury prevention, cost savings (through reduced workplace claims and increased productivity), and improved employee engagement and retention.
Cognitive Ergonomics
Cognitive ergonomics is similar to physical ergonomics, except instead of looking at how the human body is interacting with the role and environment, we’re seeing how the brain is interacting.
We’re looking at the mental workload, decisions to be made, and the stress on each employee. These each play into mental processes like perception, memory, reasoning, and motor response — which, when too much, can cause burnout, fatigue, and slip-ups on the job.
When we look at the cognitive ergonomics of your workplace, we’re looking at individual workloads, staff morale, and their mental health generally.
Poor cognitive ergonomic design can lead to increased sick days, reduced productivity, and reduced quality of work.
Our clients have found that cognitive ergonomics have helped their teams communicate better with each other, solve problems more efficiently, and generally produce a higher standard of work.
Organisational Ergonomics
Organisational ergonomics looks at how your organisation is designed for the humans you employ. It’s about preventing those issues that lead to cognitive ergonomics issues, team disagreements, and general stress and fatigue at work.
When looking at organisational ergonomics, we consider the communication in the organisation, how the work is designed, how resources are managed, and the time employees are allocated to work as well as their workplace hours.
What is the workplace culture like? Does the team get along? Do they communicate productively?
Is there an opportunity for improvement through quality management, new work expectations, or even flexibility in start times and on-site requirements?
We look at it all as well as the performance and pain points of the individuals in your organisation. Then, we make organisational and systematic changes to inspire change and create real improvements in productivity and quality of work.
How do these three disciplines come together?
We’re big on looking at your organisation with a holistic view. We don’t necessarily want to make one improvement in your organisation and leave (or even create) more gaps.
It’s important to us that we’re setting you and your team up for sustainable success and long-term improvements. So, when we’re engaged, we look at the physical in combination with the cognitive and the organisational.
Perhaps the physical workstations in your organisation don’t allow for collaboration. That becomes a physical and an organisational ergonomic issue.
By looking at each aspect of your organisation individually, we can create serious change for you and your team.
Good ergonomic design improves your bottom line by improving productivity and quality of work and reducing workplace injuries and unnecessary sick days — generally improving how your workplace runs.
