Practising good ergonomics in the workplace can be good news for your business

Keeping employees fit, healthy and happy is almost certainly going to boost productivity and performance rates and generally be good for your business.
Whilst there has to be an element of self-help and cooperation from employees, you can do your bit by practising good ergonomics as part of your goal towards a good level of staff welfare.
Why ergonomics is important in the workplace
It is a good idea to develop an understanding of ergonomics and the role that it has to play in the workplace.
It is arguably easier to measure and quantify the effects of ergonomics in some workplaces compared to others, but the universal effect is that by paying attention to the positive attributes of ergonomics, most workplaces can find some form of benefit and many will save money by reducing injuries and the number of days lost to sickness.
Get the dynamics of ergonomics right in the work environment and there is a good chance of increasing profitability and efficiency.
Reducing time lost through injury
Most employers have to deal with lost work days due to employees being sick or injured or suffering from a work-related injury and the cost to the economy overall almost certainly runs into the millions.
If you run an office then it would be an excellent move to invest in some good-quality desks and chairs that are ergonomically designed and can make a substantial difference in keeping staff injury-free and less stressed as well.
You can choose from a wide range of suitably designed desks and chairs from a supplier such as Rapid Office, and the result of installing ergonomically-designed furniture is often a reduced incidence of back-pain and increased productivity as employees feel more relaxed and refreshed throughout the day.
Measuring the gains
By implementing an ergonomics policy throughout the business you will then get the chance to evaluate and quantify the positive benefits of this procedure through performance data collected over a period of time.
If the business is a production-line factory then it is much easier to quantify by measuring the level of tangible output compared to a period prior to improving ergonomics. Whilst it is harder to measure the benefits of ergonomics in a white-collar environment, you can get employee feedback, look at the number of sick-days and review performance targets to see how things have changed over a period of time.
Boosting workplace morale
A positive attribute of embracing an ergonomics policy for the welfare of the staff is that employees feel like they are being nurtured and their welfare and health being taken seriously.
This will cast your business in a very positive light and by meeting and exceeding welfare expectations you will be able to boost workplace morale and in turn, the business will enjoy fewer sick days, greater productivity and in all probability, greater success as well.
Take the time to evaluate the specific ergonomic needs of your particular workplace environment and the positive benefits will be good news for your business.
 
Amelia Ward has been an office manager for many years. She often blogs about her tried and true methods for improving employee satisfaction and productivity.