5 Signs It’s Time to Revisit Your Office Ergonomics Strategy

With remote and hybrid work reshaping today’s workplaces, having an effective office ergonomics strategy to manage risk is vital. However, outdated practices and complacency can lead organizations to overlook opportunities for improvement, negatively impacting both employee well-being and business performance.

Does the phrase, “We’ve just always done it this way,” sound familiar?

Organizations often become complacent with their office ergonomics program for a few reasons. It may stem from a false perception of success – that actions to reduce ergonomic risk were effective enough. Or resource constraints and competing priorities that divert attention away from office ergonomics program needs. Office ergonomics program investment is commonly deprioritized to accommodate other initiatives, like serious injury and fatality (SIF) exposure. Moreover, a lack of organizational awareness and buy-in can lead to a stagnant program that doesn’t evolve with business needs and operational risks.  Without a systematic evaluation process, organizations can miss key opportunities to align the ergonomics program to their changing business landscape.

In this blog, we’ll share five crucial indicators that your organization’s office ergonomics program may need an update and strategies for how to keep your program up to date for future success and optimal worker well-being.

Is it time to rethink your strategy?

Recognizing when your current office ergonomics program needs improvement is essential for effective workplace risk management. Here are some signs to watch for that might indicate your office ergonomics strategy needs to be refreshed.

1. 1. Evaluators struggle to keep up with high assessment volume
      

      If your designated evaluators are overwhelmed by a backlog of assessments, it can signal a mismatch between program requirements and available resources. Leveraging technology can help to close this gap, ensuring resources and time are prioritized more effectively, and your ergonomic experts are focusing their attention on the most critical ergonomic risks in the workplace. Digital tools can also empower workers to take more ownership of their personal risk exposure. By providing education, self-assessment tools, and recommendations, software can empower front-line staff to manage ergonomic risk themselves and reducing the number of ergonomic assessments.

   2. Ergonomists and other subject matter experts are consumed with administrative tasks
      

      When ergonomic experts find themselves bogged down by administrative tasks, it limits their ability to focus on core risk reduction activities. Administrative duties, including manual data entry, sending out emails, corrective action follow-up or manual data analyses, can take away valuable time spent assessing and managing risk. By leveraging software to automate these administrative requirements, organizations can significantly reduce the burden on their limited experts. Doing so allows them to focus on higher-value activities that directly contribute to mitigating ergonomic risks and enhancing employee well-being.

   3. Your organization’s work policy has changed

      Organizations with a remote or hybrid work model need to think about the impact this change has had on office ergonomic risk management. Program managers must figure out how to deal with ergonomic risks present in unseen home environments and changing office workstations. Many organizations have been leveraging software to successfully manage ergonomic risk, regardless of a worker’s location. These software solutions are designed to teach workers how to evaluate their workstation setup, provide suggestions to reduce ergonomic risk factors, and virtual training to educate best practices.

   4. Securing the resources needed to implement effective controls, such as new office equipment, is an uphill battle

      Managing ergonomic risks in the office starts with identifying potential hazards, but the real challenge is implementing necessary controls. This task can be particularly difficult for program managers working with tight budgets for new equipment. If obtaining funding for furniture and equipment is difficult, try re-evaluating how your office ergonomics program successes is tracked. A strong business case for office ergonomics investment can be achieved by tracking and presenting clear metrics on risk exposure changes, health and discomfort survey improvements, and reduced absenteeism from ergonomic interventions. Software is an effective way to gather and analyze this data to provide evidence of the program’s return on investment.

   5. Significant design changes are planned for one or more offices at your organization
      

      Anticipated office design changes present an opportunity to integrate ergonomic considerations into the planning process from the outset.  By involving ergonomists and relevant stakeholders early, organizations can ensure that new office layouts prioritize employee comfort, wellbeing, and overall safety. Proactively conducting ergonomic assessments of proposed designs will help in identifying potential issues and inform adjustments. Enterprise EHS software with management of change solutions effectively track these changes, ensuring ergonomic challenges are considered early.

At Cority, we understand the challenges faced when managing office ergonomic risk. Cority’s Office Ergonomics Solution simplifies enterprise-wide office ergonomics program management and empowers employees to take charge of ergonomic risk management. Built by ergonomists, Cority is a one-stop shop that assists businesses in creating a sustainable, effective, and workforce-driven ergonomics programs.

To learn more about how Cority can help, check out our Office Ergonomics Solution or request a demo today!