When it comes to the office environment, there are many factors that are considered in practices, preferences, and purchases. For example, most companies cherish high productivity, overall efficiency, great reliability, and low maintenance when it comes to their office environment, and those considerations shape decisions about product procurement and employee practices. However, though not always placed among the top priorities when acquiring office equipment and supplies, ergonomics is an equally important factor to consider for procurement of items for company use, whether it’s copiers, collation materials, or office janitorial supplies.
The term ergonomics pertains to the study of people and processes in the workplace. While many only think about the physical aspects of ergonomics, there are also mental and emotional ergonomic considerations as well. Ergonomics isn’t just about keyboard shape or the adjustability of the standard office chair. It is a wholistic endeavor. It can apply to every department and every product used in an office setting from mail room equipment to janitorial supplies in Anchorage, AK. It’s an important factor in behavioral culture of a business and its practical application through processes and equipment. In short, ergonomics can have many hidden impacts on the productivity of your office and your company’s bottom line. Read on to learn a few important facts you should know about ergonomics.
Ergonomics Reduces Costs
Ergonomics can help reduce costs by lowering the occurrences of musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, related to workplace activity. MSDs can often be prevented by proper ergonomics in the workplace environment. By improving ergonomics, you can reduce or eliminate many of the risk factors that can cause MSDs that will not only hit your workers’ comp budget but can prove even more costly in medical leave and lost productivity.
Ergonomics Improves Productivity
The study of ergonomics pertains to the way people and processes function in the workspace, but at its core it’s about productivity. That’s why so much funding and attention has been dedicated to ergonomics. The best ergonomic solutions in the workplace not only prevent injury, but they improve productivity by designing workstations that remove employee obstacles to productivity and keep staff comfortable, focused, and on task.
Ergonomics Improves Employee Morale
Poor ergonomics leads to pain and reduced productivity, and those two factors can lower employee morale significantly. Workers who are fatigued mentally and physically become frustrated with their circumstances, which can lead to poor attitude, lower-quality work products, and employee attrition as workers seek perceived better opportunities elsewhere. However, ergonomics can help by making employees more comfortable and more productive, which boosts morale. When employers take steps to improve ergonomics, employees feel valued, and increased productivity can further enhance attitude by providing feelings of accomplishment and high achievement.
Ergonomics Contributes to Communication
Giving attention to employee ergonomics sends a clear message to your workers. It lets them know that you care about their physical, mental, and emotional well-being and creates a two-way street within the employee-employer relationship. As a result, employees feel better about communicating with management not only about ergonomics and workplace health, but about other topics as well. That shared flow of information and dialogue can improve company culture and build a unity that can help bind your employees together as a unit and propel them towards greater achievements as a team.
Ergonomics Builds a Culture of Safety
Because the study of ergonomics is focused on the betterment of the work environment in the interest of employee safety, there’s a ripple effect that stems from ergonomic enhancements. When a company takes the time to implement ergonomic improvements, it sends a message that the safety of employees is important. Therefore, other actors begin to pay greater attention to safety practices and take the safety of all employees more seriously. Companies that implement ergonomic improvements may also see decreases in workplace safety-related incidence overall as the culture of safety expands and matures.
While productivity and efficiency are top concerns in the workplace, ergonomics is equally as important because it can benefit both areas significantly. To learn more facts about ergonomics and its importance in the workplace, contact Arctic Office Products at (907) 276-2322.