What do you think ergonomics are?

Sitting properly, supportive chairs? If one or both of these were your answers, you’d be right but it doesn’t end there. You may even have learned about how to place your arms, position your monitor, and ensuring your feet are flat on the floor. This is all very important too, but that doesn’t mean it ends there. Simply downloading a checklist from the internet doesn’t mean you’re going to solve all your problems. You may even end up creating more harm and recommending/buying unnecessary ergonomic equipment because of a downloaded checklist. Simply jumping into ergonomic assessments can be detrimental to not only yourself but to your employees or colleagues.

There is a misconception that we can all easily search the internet when recommending equipment. But, do you know what you’re really looking for? Maybe you do know the reason why someone is experiencing discomfort but have you done the research to know what solutions are out there. Does the person who’s experiencing the discomfort know the reason why? Creating awareness on the set up of a person’s workstation is just as important, actually, I will go as far as saying educating people on ergonomics awareness should be number one on any checklist. It isn’t just about telling someone how to sit properly on the chair.

It’s important for all employees to learn and see the value of ergonomics. The benefits of practicing good ergonomics include reduction in upper limb disorders, fatigue, and eye strain. But to do that, both employers and employees need to take their responsibilities seriously and work together for the benefit of everyone. Checklists are great, they can help us remember what we need to do but, when you combine the checklist with training, following good technique, and developing good habits it will help even more.

About the author: Gina has a wealth of training experience and operations management acumen accrued during a career spanning over 25 years in roles such as administration, customer service management, and training in the heavily regulated aviation industry. She believes that learning should not be a ‘tick the box’ exercise for people. She is experienced in knowing the importance of ensuring companies become & remain compliant in accordance with national legislation as well as industry best practice.
She can identify with other small businesses as she is a local independent operator, who wants to look after local businesses also. She understands the challenges of keeping compliant while trying to operate a business. With her aviation background, she understands CRM and change management and the importance of training to bring about that effect.
As a member of the Irish Institute of Training and Development and NISO, Gina believes in keeping in line with best practices and the latest developments in the training sector.