Anasarias, Kimberly Shane B.

2019-02176
BS in Management III
Quiz 4

Ergonomics in the Workplace

Workplace ergonomics is the science of designing a workplace while keeping the worker's
capabilities and limitations in mind. Workers become fatigued, frustrated, and injured because of
poor workplace design. This rarely results in the most productive employee. It is more likely to
result in a painful and costly injury, decreased productivity, and poor product quality.

A workplace ergonomics improvement process eliminates risk factors that contribute to

musculoskeletal injuries, allowing for increased human performance and productivity. As
improvements are made to the work process, it removes barriers to achieving maximum safe work
performance.

The primary objective of Ergonomics is to provide maximum productivity at the lowest

possible cost; in this context, cost is expressed as the worker's physiological or health cost. There
are rarely many tasks in the workplace that exceed the capabilities of most of the workforce. There
may be jobs that require extended reaches or overhead work that cannot be sustained for long
periods of time; by designing these tasks with Ergonomic principles, more people should be able
to perform the job without risk of injury.

Ergonomics is classified into three types: physical, cognitive, and organizational. Each of
these factors contributes not only to organizational success but also to employee satisfaction and
the bottom line.

In lieu of this, there are a lot of benefit that an organization may get from an effective
ergonomics process. Some of them are:

1. Reduces cost in the workplace - You can avoid costly Musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs) by systematically reducing ergonomic risk factors. With MSDs accounting for
approximately $1 out of every $3 in workers' compensation costs, this represents a
significant cost savings opportunity. Also, keep in mind that the indirect costs of an injury
can be up to twenty times the direct cost.
Anasarias, Kimberly Shane B.
2019-02176
BS in Management III
Quiz 4

2. Productivity is increased through ergonomics. - The best ergonomic solutions frequently

increase productivity. The workstation becomes more efficient by designing a job to allow
for good posture, less exertion, fewer motions, and better heights and reaches.
3. Ergonomics boosts quality. - Poor ergonomics results in frustrated and fatigued workers
who do not perform at their best. When a job task is too physically demanding for a worker,
they may fail to perform it as well as they were trained. For example, an employee may
fail to tighten a screw sufficiently due to a high force requirement, resulting in a product
quality issue.
4. Employee engagement is improved by ergonomics. - Employees notice when the company
goes above and beyond to ensure their health and safety. If an employee does not
experience fatigue or discomfort during their workday, it can reduce turnover, absenteeism,
morale, and employee involvement.
5. Ergonomics fosters a more secure culture. - Ergonomics demonstrates your company's
dedication to safety and health as a core value. The cumulative effect of the previous four
ergonomics benefits is a more robust safety culture in your organization. Employee health
is your most valuable asset; creating and fostering a safety and health culture at your
company will result in better human performance for your organization.
Anasarias, Kimberly Shane B.
2019-02176
BS in Management III
Quiz 4

References:

Ergonomics in the Workplace.“What Is Ergonomics?”

LightGuide, 9 Mar. 2021, www.lightguidesys.com/what-is-ergonomics/.“

Workplace Ergonomics 101: Lower Costs and Boost Productivity.” ErgoPlus, ergo-
plus.com/workplace-ergonomics/#:~:text=Workplace%20ergonomics%20is%20the%20science.