The perceived importance and the presence of creative potential in the health professional's work environment

The value of creative employees to an organisation's growth and innovative development, productivity, quality and sustainability is well established. This study examined the perceived relationship between creativity and work environment factors of 361 practicing health professionals, and whether these factors were present (realised) in their work environment. Job design (challenges, team work, task rotation, autonomy) and leadership (coaching supervisor, time for thinking, creative goals, recognition and incentives for creative ideas and results) were perceived as the most important factors for stimulating creativity. There was room for improvement of these in the work environment. Many aspects of the physical work environment were less important. Public health sector employers and organisations should adopt sustainable strategies which target the important work environment factors to support employee creativity and so enhance service quality, productivity, performance and growth. Implications of the results for ergonomists and workplace managers are discussed with a participatory ergonomics approach recommended.

Practitioner summary: Creative employees are important to an organisation's innovation, productivity and sustainability. The survey identified health professionals perceive a need to improve job design and leadership factors at work to enhance and support employee creativity. There are implications for organisations and ergonomists to investigate the creative potential of work environments.     

Ergonomics support for local initiative in improving safety and health at work: International Labour Organization experiences in industrially developing countries

Ergonomics has played essential roles in the technical cooperation activities of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in occupational safety and health in industrially developing countries. Ergonomics support focusing on practical day-to-day needs at the grass-root workplace has strengthened the local initiative in improving safety and health. Practical action-tools such as ergonomics checklists, local good example photos and group discussions have assisted workers and employers in identifying feasible solutions using locally available resources. Direct participation of workers and employers has been promoted in ergonomics training aimed at immediate solutions. ILO Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems have played increasingly important roles in the systematic planning of local improvement actions. Policy-level programmes to develop network support mechanisms to the grass-root workplace were essential for following up and sustaining local achievements. Practical ergonomics support tools, such as action checklists and low-cost improvement guides, should be developed and widely applied so as to reach grass-root levels and help local people create safer and healthier workplaces.     

Implementation of a participatory ergonomics program in the rehabilitation of workers suffering from subacute back pain

This paper describes a participatory ergonomics program aimed at early return to regular work of workers suffering from subacute occupational back pain and assesses the perceptions of the participants on the implementation of ergonomic solutions in the workplace. The participatory ergonomics program was used in the rehabilitation of workers suffering from subacute back pain for more than 6 weeks, a program that was associated with an increased rate of return to work. The perceptions of the participatory ergonomics participants were assessed 6 months after completion of the ergonomic intervention through a questionnaire sent to employer representatives, union representatives and injured workers of participating workplaces. About half of the ergonomic solutions were implemented according to the perception of the participants, with a substantial agreement between respondents.     

Developing a holistic understanding of workplace health: the case of bank workers

Understanding health in the workplace from a holistic perspective requires appropriate research approaches. An exploratory, qualitative study with whitecollar employees from a large banking organization in the North West of England is detailed here. The aim was to explore health from the perspective of the employee. Semi-structured interviews (n = 29) elicited detailed responses, allowing the relationship between psychosocial and lifestyle factors to be examined. Psychosocial factors such as job design, ability to make decisions and control over work were all reported to be positive contributors to health in the work setting-and often were reported to be more relevant than individual lifestyle issues. A more holistic approach to developing workplace health programmes in the future is recommended, which allows the workplace setting to be considered as a complex system. Very few comprehensive workplace health programmes exist at present within UK organizations, and there is a tendency for programmes to be designed by the health professional ‘expert’ rather than developed in conjunction with, and by the workforce. It is argued that qualitative research methods can help to begin the dialogue needed for workplace health programme development.     

Developing a holistic understanding of workplace health: the case of bank workers

Understanding health in the workplace from a holistic perspective requires appropriate research approaches. An exploratory, qualitative study with white-collar employees from a large banking organization in the North West of England is detailed here. The aim was to explore health from the perspective of the employee. Semi-structured interviews (n = 29) elicited detailed responses, allowing the relationship between psychosocial and lifestyle factors to be examined. Psychosocial factors such as job design, ability to make decisions and control over work were all reported to be positive contributors to health in the work setting - and often were reported to be more relevant than individual lifestyle issues. A more holistic approach to developing workplace health programmes in the future is recommended, which allows the workplace setting to be considered as a complex system. Very few comprehensive workplace health programmes exist at present within UK organizations, and there is a tendency for programmes to be designed by the health professional 'expert' rather than developed in conjunction with, and by the workforce. It is argued that qualitative research methods can help to begin the dialogue needed for workplace health programme development.     

Ergonomics and occupational safety and health: An ILO perspective

The ILO has a mandate to protect workers against sickness, diseases and injuries due to workplace hazards and risks including ergonomic and work organization risk factors. One of the main functions for the ILO is to develop international standards related to labour and work. ILO standards have exerted considerable influence on the laws and regulations of member States. The ILO standards take the form of international Conventions and Recommendations. ILO Conventions and Recommendations relevant to protection of workers against ergonomic risk factors at the workplace include Convention No. 127 and Recommendation No.128 which specify the international requirements concerning the manual transport of a load. To help member States in applying the ILO standards, the ILO produces practical guides and training manuals on ergonomics at work and collects and analyses national practices and laws on ergonomics at the workplace. The ILO also conducts technical cooperation activities in many countries on ergonomics to support and strengthen the capacities of its tripartite constituents in dealing with workplace ergonomic and work organization risks. The ILO’s technical cooperation activities give priorities on the promotion of voluntary, participatory and action-oriented actions to improve working conditions and work organizations of the small and medium sized enterprises. This paper reviews ILO’s policies and activities on ergonomics in relation to occupational safety and health and prescribes ILO’s considerations for its future work on ergonomics.     

A framework for performing workplace hazard and risk analysis: a participative ergonomics approach

Despite the unanimity among researchers about the centrality of workplace analysis based on participatory ergonomics (PE) as a basis for preventive interventions, there is still little agreement about the necessary of a theoretical framework for providing practical guidance. In an effort to develop a conceptual PE framework, the authors, focusing on 20 studies, found five primary dimensions for characterising an analytical structure: (1) extent of workforce involvement; (2) analysis duration; (3) diversity of reporter role types; (4) scope of analysis and (5) supportive information system for analysis management. An ergonomics analysis carried out in a chemical manufacturing plant serves as a case study for evaluating the proposed framework. The study simultaneously demonstrates the five dimensions and evaluates their feasibility. The study showed that managerial leadership was fundamental to the successful implementation of the analysis; that all job holders should participate in analysing their own workplace and simplified reporting methods contributed to a desirable outcome.

Practitioner summary: This paper seeks to clarify the scope of workplace ergonomics analysis by offering a theoretical and structured framework for providing practical advice and guidance. Essential to successfully implementing the analytical framework are managerial involvement, participation of all job holders and simplified reporting methods.     

Age as a moderator of attitude towards technology in the workplace: work motivation and overall job satisfaction

Given the prevalence of technology in the workplace, an understanding of employees' attitudes towards technology is essential. Such attitudes have been linked to such important issues as the successful implementation of new technologies in the workplace, employee intent to use technology, and the actual usage of technology by employees. As a result of the rapidly aging workforce, and because age has been linked to computer use and comfort, it is important to examine the relationship that may exist between age and attitudes towards technology. This study examines age as a moderator of 612 employees' attitudes towards technology in relation to work motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) and overall job satisfaction. Further, given the technological socialisation of the Generation X (Gen X) versus the Baby Boomers, our sample comprised these two demographics. Hierarchical moderated multiple regression indicates age moderates the relationship between attitude towards technology and intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and to a lesser extent, overall job satisfaction. In each instance, older employees exhibit the strongest relationships with the outcome variables when possessing a high attitude towards technology. In contrast, older employees exhibit the weakest relationships when possessing a low attitude towards technology. These results are supportive of the moderating effect of age on attitude towards technology. Lastly, implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Nanomaterials in the field of design ergonomics: present status

Application of nanotechnology and nanomaterials is not new in the field of design, but a recent trend of extensive use of nanomaterials in product and/or workplace design is drawing attention of design researchers all over the world. In the present paper, an attempt has been made to describe the diverse use of nanomaterials in product and workplace design with special emphasis on ergonomics (occupational health and safety; thermo-regulation and work efficiency, cognitive interface design; maintenance of workplace, etc.) to popularise the new discipline ‘nanoergonomics’ among designers, design users and design researchers. Nanoergonomics for sustainable product and workplace design by minimising occupational health risks has been felt by the authors to be an emerging research area in coming years.

Practitioner Summary: Use of nanomaterials in the field of design ergonomics is less explored till date. In the present review, an attempt has been made to extend general awareness among ergonomists/designers about applications of nanomaterials/nanotechnology in the field of design ergonomics and about health implications of nanomaterials during their use.     

Web-based office ergonomics intervention on work-related complaints: a field study

The aim of this study was a proof of concept to examine the effects of a web-based office ergonomics intervention on subjects' individual workplace adjustments. An intervention study was conducted with 24 office workers lasting 6 weeks with three consecutive phases (before, 1 and 5 weeks after the intervention). Employees used a purpose-made website for adjusting their computer workplaces without any personal support of ergonomics experts. Workplace measurements were taken directly on site and by analysing photos taken of the employee. Self-reported complaints were assessed by filling in a questionnaire. It was found that 96% of the employees changed their workplaces on their own and retained them mostly unchanged after the intervention. Furthermore, self-reported musculoskeletal complaints and headache symptoms decreased significantly after the intervention. These findings suggest an improvement of workplace conditions so that cost-effective ergonomic web-based interventions appear promising in further research and application.     

Worker productivity, and occupational health and safety issues in selected industries

The main objective of this research was to identify factors that affected worker productivity, occupational health and safety in selected industries in a developing country. Fifty production managers participated in the study. Fifty-four percent of the managers reported hot environmental conditions, 28% a noisy environment, and 26% a lack of resources and facilities. Managers received worker complaints of fatigue, back pain, upper-body pain, hand and wrist pain and headaches. Management (88%) acknowledged not having knowledge or access to ergonomics information. Ninety-four percent of the companies did not carry out ergonomic assessments. A significant correlation (p<0.01) was found among productivity indicators and health and organizational attributes. Lack of skills in ergonomics and training, communication and resources are believed to be some of the factors contributing to the poor ergonomic conditions and consequent loss of worker productivity and reduced health and safety in these industries.     

A cross-sectional study of self-reported back and neck pain among English schoolchildren and associated physical and psychological risk factors

This study set out to identify the associations between ergonomics and other factors with back and neck pain among schoolchildren. Self-reported questionnaires were used to record health outcomes and potential risk factors in state schools. Six hundred and seventy-nine schoolchildren from Surrey in the United Kingdom aged 11–14 years took part. Twenty-seven percent of children reported having neck pain, 18% reported having upper back pain, and 22% reported having low back pain. A forward stepwise logistic regression was performed with pain categories the dependent variables. Neck pain was significantly associated with school furniture features, emotional and conduct problems, family history of low back pain and previous treatment for musculoskeletal disorders. Upper back pain was associated with school bag weight (3.4–4.45 kg), school furniture features, emotional problems and previous treatment for musculoskeletal disorders. Low back pain was associated with school furniture features, emotional problems, family history and previous injury or accident. It is important to recognise the influence of physical, psychological and family factors in children's pain.     

A multilayered ergonomic intervention program on reducing musculoskeletal disorders in an industrial complex: A dynamic participatory approach

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are closely identified with common complaints in different workplaces. This study aimed to implement an intervention program through which ergonomic measures were dynamically localized in industry. An interventional study, including three basic layers, namely, training workshops, participatory ergonomics (PE), and workstation redesign was fulfilled in an Iranian steel manufacturing complex from 2017 to 2020. A steering committee (SC) was formed following several meetings held for clarification of the project to the management team. The SC members then attended four organized workshops managed by an ergonomics specialist. Afterwards, the basics of ergonomics were transferred to action groups. After developing ergonomic assessment tools, the ergonomic problems were prioritized and numerous positive changes were made by the action groups. The findings of the tailored checklists revealed a load of WMSDs risk factors. All the three layers of the program were implemented as initiated. Ergonomics training workshops were then held and significant differences were observed between the participants' pre/posttest mean scores in all workshops (p < 0.001). Moreover, PE measures were exercised at all levels of the organization inducing enthusiastic motivation of the workforce to consider ergonomic requirements in the workplace. Consequently, the workers' innovative ideas and the managerial support yielded diverse workstation redesigns due to a growth in either the workers' ergonomics awareness or participatory culture grounding. A multilayered ergonomic intervention was implemented in this study. In conclusion, a multifaceted long-term follow-up intervention program could be applied to enhance workers’ health status and to raise system productivity.     

One lumbar extension training session per week is sufficient for strength gains and reductions in pain in patients with chronic low back pain ergonomics

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the leading cause of absenteeism from the workplace and research into exercise interventions to address this problem is required. This study investigated training frequency for participants with CLBP. Participants either trained once a week (1 × week, n = 31), or twice a week (2 × week, n = 20) or did not (control group, n = 21). Participants were isometric strength tested in weeks 1 and 12 and trained dynamically either 1×week (80% of maximum) or 2×week (80% and 50%). The results (pre vs. post) showed significant increases in maximal strength, range of motion and reductions in pain for both training groups. Pain scores for the 1 × week and 2 × week both reached minimal clinical improvement change unlike the control group. Thus, one lumbar extension training session per week is sufficient for strength gains and reductions in pain in low back pain in CLBP patients. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: CLBP is the leading cause of absenteeism from the workplace. The present study using a modified randomised control trial design investigated exercise training frequency for participants with CLBP. One lumbar extension training session per week is sufficient for strength gains and reductions in low back pain in CLBP patients.     

A computer-aided tool for ergonomic workplace design and preventive health care

Preventive health care is one of the basic challenges facing ergonomics. The aim to prevent occupationally generated musculoskeletal disorders and diseases may be achieved by appropriate workplace and product design. ERGOMan is a computer-aided 3D man model suitable for ergonomic and movement simulation at industrial workstations. Within a common project of the above mentioned institutions ERGOMan's inventory of ergonomics design tools shall be enhanced in a way that ERGOMan will be able to give detailed information on load or stress situations, which might effect the executability and tolerability of work situations with high probability. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The IEA contribution to the transition of Ergonomics from research to practice

The future growth of ergonomics as a scientific discipline will require a greater focus on methods to transition research findings into practice. Whilst the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) and the Federated Ergonomics Societies provide opportunities to promote exchange on ergonomics research and collaboration in research programs, the future sustainability of the domain will be dependent on the provision of ongoing educational opportunities in ergonomics and the transitioning of the research findings into practice. This transition will require greater external focus outside the ergonomics profession in working in collaboration and partnership with other professional associations, governments and international agencies. Practical tools that are targeted towards particular user groups within the community, workplace, and governments will enhance the opportunities for the transition of ergonomics research into practice. Focus on extramural initiatives such as Ergonomics Checkpoints, integration of the ergonomics design process into the International Organisation for Standardization Guidelines, and the incorporation of ergonomics into the World Health Organisation research programs will ensure that the positioning of ergonomics will continue at an international level.     

Sustainable development of a suggestion system: Factors influencing improvement activities in a confectionary company

Although the use of continuous improvement (CI) is widespread today, many organizations face problems maintaining high and sustained employee involvement in such programs. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing employee involvement in submitting suggestions within a suggestion system in a Swedish production company. The company had maintained a successful suggestion system for about 10 years. The study builds on a database containing all the suggestions submitted (2343 in number) within the suggestion system. The following factors were identified to influence employee involvement in submitting suggestions and hence the sustainability of the suggestion system as well: (a) Situations when the employees had a personal benefit from submitting suggestions, e.g., concerning their own work environment, contributed to long‐term sustainability of the system; (b) campaigns emphasizing different themes encouraged employees to become more active within the suggestion system; (c) employees having some of their suggestions rejected were more active in submitting suggestions than employees having most suggestions rejected or accepted; (d) a high monetary reward (80 euros and above) was not found favorable for submitting new suggestions, compared to lower rewards; (e) increased support of group suggestions contributed to a sustained and high level of activity of the suggestion system. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 17: 79–94, 2007.     

Age and technology innovation in the workplace: Does work context matter?

Two workplace trends will become increasingly important in years to come: reliance on information technology (IT) and workforce aging. This study explores the influence of workplace context on employee reactions to the implementation of a new IT initiative to better understand innovation enhancers and inhibitors. Employees from multiple workplace departments completed a questionnaire that assessed their reactions to the implementation. Age-based differences and contextual influences were estimated to predict satisfaction with the implementation process. Hierarchical linear models indicate that younger workers reported less satisfaction than older workers—an effect that was more pronounced in relatively young departments. These findings challenge ageist notions and emphasize the role of context on attitudes formation. Multi-institutional and multilevel field-setting data are rare making this a unique research contribution.     

Integrating ergonomics into engineering: Empirical evidence and implications for the ergonomists

Engineering design is a strong determinant of workplace ergonomics. A survey among 680 engineers in 20 Danish enterprises indicated that engineers are not aware that they influence the work environment of other people. Ergonomics had a low rating among engineers, perhaps because neither management nor safety organizations expressed any expectations in this area. The study further indicated that effects of ergonomics training in engineering schools were very limited. The engineering cultures in enterprises, together with other organizational factors, are suggested to be of greater importance than the professional training. The implications for industrial ergonomists might be an acknowledgement of the role as change agent when trying to integrate ergonomics into engineering. In doing so, they need also to acknowledge that engineers are widely different. They have different backgrounds and a “sensitivity” to ergonomics depending on their current engineering domain, tasks, organizational position, and the industrial branch of their organization. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 17: 353–366, 2007.     

Do we need sustainability as a new approach in human factors and ergonomics?

The International Ergonomics Association Technical Committee ‘Human Factors and Sustainable Development’ was established to contribute to a broad discourse about opportunities and risks resulting from current societal ‘mega-trends’ and their impacts on the interactions among humans and other elements of a system, e.g. in work systems. This paper focuses on the underlying key issues: how do the sustainability paradigm and human factors/ergonomics interplay and interact, and is sustainability necessary as a new approach for our discipline? Based on a discussion of the sustainability concept, some general principles for designing new and enhancing existent approaches of human factors and ergonomics regarding their orientation towards sustainability are proposed.

Practitioner summary: The increasing profile of sustainability on the international stage presents new opportunities for human factors/ergonomics. Positioning of the sustainability paradigm within human factors/ergonomics is discussed. Approaches to incorporating sustainability in the design of work systems are considered.