How Can Ergonomics Affect the Bottom-Line?

Ergonomics helps workers function better by humanizing their workstations and tools, stopping their pain and improving their ability for task performance. Its prescriptions can be applied to both white and blue collar workstation environments. It reduces lost time, time loss, absenteeism and saves hard dollars that can be measured through standard management systems. Ergonomic applications allow workers to perform better, improve productivity, maximize quality and maintain customer service, all real world business principles and thus measurable by real dollars.

It is also now becoming well known that ergonomics applications can reduce worker compensation and medical costs. That's easy to measure. But other than that, how do you measure the result of ergonomic applications, actual productivity, especially in the white collar area? Sure ergonomic chairs make people feel better, but how do you measure that effectiveness on the financial statement?

Bottom Line Benefits of Ergonomics Applications

We have found that investments in ergonomics can be returned three to tenfold in improved performance, throughput and corollary savings. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Ergonomics also prevents future occupational injuries and productivity problems. Cost avoidance is also another way to measure return on investment.

Ergonomic solutions improves productivity, reduces lost time, time loss, absenteeism and saves hard dollars measurable through standard management systems. They can lead to lower worker compensation premiums and reduced medical costs.

Understanding of all these concepts will also give you, as an ergonomist, a better way and higher level on which to strut your stuff. Everyone wants to hire someone who can improve things—especially if they can prove it with regard to the bottom line. Moreover, if you can tie your efforts directly to the financial statement and the reduction in worker injuries, you are indeed on your way to becoming an ergonomist who understands business needs—and a very successful one at that.
taken from http://www.ergoinc.com/Ergonomics_Bottom_Line.htm

E.R. Tischauer, in his book "Biomechanical Basis of Ergonomics", writes that a correct chair can add as much as 40 productive minutes to the working day of each productive individual. Easy to measure and tie to the bottom line.

Go Back to Category: Articles and Publications