Determinants of business sustainability: an ergonomics perspective

There is a need to integrate both macro- and micro-ergonomic approaches for the effective implementation of interventions designed to improve the root causes of problems such as work safety, quality and productivity in the enterprise system. The objective of this study was to explore from an ergonomics perspective the concept of business sustainability through optimising the worker-work environment interface. The specific aims were: (a) to assess the working conditions of a production department work process with the goal to jointly optimise work safety, quality and quantity; (b) to evaluate the enterprise-wide work process at the system level as a social entity in an attempt to trace the root causes of ergonomic issues impacting employees throughout the work process. The Work Compatibility Model was deployed to examine the experiences of workers (that is, effort, perceived risk/benefit, performance and satisfaction/dissatisfaction or psychological impact) and their associations with the complex domains of the work environment (task content, physical and non-physical work environment and conditions for learning/growth/development). This was followed by assessment of the enterprise system through detailed interviews with department managers and lead workers. A system diagnostic instrument was also constructed from information derived from the published literature to evaluate the enterprise system performance. The investigation of the production department indicated that the stress and musculoskeletal pain experienced by workers (particularly on the day shift) were derived from sources elsewhere in the work process. The enterprise system evaluation and detailed interviews allowed the research team to chart the feed-forward and feedback stress propagation loops in the work system. System improvement strategies were extracted on the basis of tacit/explicit knowledge obtained from department managers and lead workers. In certain situations concerning workplace human performance issues, a combined macro-micro ergonomic methodology is essential to solve the productivity, quality and safety issues impacting employees along the trajectory or path of the enterprise-wide work process. In this study, the symptoms associated with human performance issues in one production department work process had root causes originating in the customer service department work process. In fact, the issues found in the customer service department caused performance problems elsewhere in the enterprise-wide work process such as the traffic department. Sustainable enterprise solutions for workplace human performance require the integration of macro- and micro-ergonomic approaches.     

The work compatibility improvement framework: an assessment of the worker–work environment interaction in the manufacturing sector

The manufacturing sector in the US is challenged by high health care costs and shortage of qualified workers, which are largely attributed to the degree of fit between the worker and work environment. In this regard, a healthy worker–work environment interface is a necessary and sufficient condition for the containment of health care costs and the retaining/attraction of highly qualified knowledge workers and should be based on the principles of optimum physical, cognitive and emotional health for the workers. In prior research, the Work Compatibility Improvement Framework (WCIF) was introduced as a vehicle to address these issues and was defined as the identification, improvement and maintenance of the well-being characteristics of the workforce and its interaction with the work environment through the application of engineering, medicine, management and human sciences methodologies, technologies and best practices. This paper advances WCIF by examining its applications in manufacturing with regard to the evaluation of working conditions impacting musculoskeletal/stress outcome measures. A study was conducted in a machining department of a bag packaging manufacturer in the Midwest of the United States. The work tasks were planned and executed with regard to the following aims: (1) to compute work compatibility as a function of work demands and energisers; (2) to establish whether the prevalence of musculoskeletal/stress disorders increases with a decrease in the quality of worker–work environment interface in terms of work compatibility level and other work factors such as shift and job category. A major finding is that a ‘poor’ work environment (a function of all work domains) results in musculoskeletal/stress disorders that are 105% and 67% higher than those for a ‘good’ work environment. The evening shift exhibited the poorest compatibility followed by the night shift relative to the day shift. Application of the work compatibility approach demonstrated the detection of non-added value work. It is essential to evaluate the various domains of worker–work environment interface to uncover the root causes that tend to sub-optimise the physical/cognitive/emotional health of the workforce. The WCIF was used to uncover the non-value added effort in the work process. These findings will have major implications for developing and implementing customised design interventions with the aim to maximise the benefit and reduce the cost of employees in a manufacturing enterprise. The study findings suggest that the WCIF should be pursued as a potential strategic tool for optimising human performance in an enterprise to create healthy workplaces.     

The role of human-at-work systems in business sustainability: perspectives based on expert and qualified production workers in a manufacturing enterprise

A community of highly qualified employees is desirable for the workforce to become a competitive business advantage, improving and sustaining corporate health. Currently, the scientific literature is limited on information comparing the assessment of expert and qualified workers for the employee–work environment interface. Such information would be valuable for industrial managers to obtain and act on the different perspectives of its workers for business improvement and survivability. A primary objective of this study is to explore the perspectives of expert and qualified workers on the quality of the employee–work environment interface in a manufacturing enterprise. This investigation was performed in a production department in a small manufacturing enterprise. Two expert workers participated in the study, with each being in the company for 30 years and having performed all jobs in the production department as well as supervisory and line management responsibilities. A total of 13 qualified workers from day and night shifts were used in the study, with the great majority of workers possessing 10 or more years of on-the-job experience but not acquiring the same specialised knowledge required for operating the technological resources in the department. The work compatibility methodology was used to assess the quality of employee–work environment interface for both expert and qualified workers. Both expert and qualified workers provided similar trends in terms of their compatibility assessment of experienced and acting work domains. In general, the compatibility levels for the day shift were poorer than those obtained for the night shift for acting work domains. The similarities in assessment between the expert and qualified workers were much closer for factors impacting job performance at the task and immediate surrounding levels (i.e. physical and mental task content, physical environment). There were greater differences at the macro level, that is, at the process and enterprise levels, in terms of organisational/social/technological environment. This is particularly noted for the organisational environment. The compatibility values obtained for the experienced domains mirror those obtained for acting domains. The overall workload was assessed as requiring major redesign during the day shift and needing added responsibilities for the night shift according to both expert and qualified workers. The assessment of qualified workers is comparable with that of expert workers for the job content and immediate surroundings. Differences are more observed for process- and enterprise-based factors; thereby, providing company management different perspectives in order to devise organisational strategies conducive for optimum human and corporate health and pointing to the probable interactions of the different systems impacting individual and enterprise performance.

Statement of Relevance: This research examines similarities and differences between qualified and expert workers in their assessment of the worker–work environment interface. The contribution to improved understanding of the complex interactions of human-at-work and enterprise systems should be beneficial to organisations in their quest to remain competitive in a global economy.     

The work compatibility improvement framework: an assessment of the worker-work environment interaction in the manufacturing sector

The manufacturing sector in the US is challenged by high health care costs and shortage of qualified workers, which are largely attributed to the degree of fit between the worker and work environment. In this regard, a healthy worker-work environment interface is a necessary and sufficient condition for the containment of health care costs and the retaining/attraction of highly qualified knowledge workers and should be based on the principles of optimum physical, cognitive and emotional health for the workers. In prior research, the Work Compatibility Improvement Framework (WCIF) was introduced as a vehicle to address these issues and was defined as the identification, improvement and maintenance of the well-being characteristics of the workforce and its interaction with the work environment through the application of engineering, medicine, management and human sciences methodologies, technologies and best practices. This paper advances WCIF by examining its applications in manufacturing with regard to the evaluation of working conditions impacting musculoskeletal/stress outcome measures. A study was conducted in a machining department of a bag packaging manufacturer in the Midwest of the United States. The work tasks were planned and executed with regard to the following aims: (1) to compute work compatibility as a function of work demands and energisers; (2) to establish whether the prevalence of musculoskeletal/stress disorders increases with a decrease in the quality of worker-work environment interface in terms of work compatibility level and other work factors such as shift and job category. A major finding is that a 'poor' work environment (a function of all work domains) results in musculoskeletal/stress disorders that are 105% and 67% higher than those for a 'good' work environment. The evening shift exhibited the poorest compatibility followed by the night shift relative to the day shift. Application of the work compatibility approach demonstrated the detection of non-added value work. It is essential to evaluate the various domains of worker-work environment interface to uncover the root causes that tend to sub-optimise the physical/cognitive/emotional health of the workforce. The WCIF was used to uncover the non-value added effort in the work process. These findings will have major implications for developing and implementing customised design interventions with the aim to maximise the benefit and reduce the cost of employees in a manufacturing enterprise. The study findings suggest that the WCIF should be pursued as a potential strategic tool for optimising human performance in an enterprise to create healthy workplaces.     

Corporate ergonomics programme at Volvo Car Corporation

One of Volvo Car Corporation's core values is "Environmental Care". Volvo Cars has a tradition of attention to the work environment and has over the years developed a working environment management system, an organisational strategy for the participation of everyone, a working environment policy, standards/specifications and methods for efficient practical performance. The Production Ergonomics Project is an example of this. In order to achieve results in ergonomics one has to work comprehensively, which means working with the product, the process, the workplace, the individuals and the work organisation. The key to success is to train all categories concerned in load ergonomics and to perform methodical ergonomic work through the whole chain from design to production.     

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.     

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.     

Video display terminals and vision of workers Summary and overview of a symposium

This summary discusses issues raised at a National Research Council symposium on vision and VDT work, held at the request of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Symposium participants critically reviewed laboratory studies of visual function and field surveys of visual complaints of VDT operators to determine what conclusions can be drawn about the prevalence, severity, causes of, and possible remedies for reported difficulties. Although speakers' perspectives differed, a number of points appeared to gain consensus: (i) properly designed epidemiologies) studies comparing the incidence of visual problems in VDT operators with that in non-VDT workers are needed, (ii) Visual issues are closely interrelated with ergonomic and job design variables, and use of multivariate statistical analysis is necessary to determine what specific aspects of work involving VDTs may contribute to visual and other complaints, (iii) No scientifically valid study has established that VDT use causes harm, in the sense of damage, to the visual system, (iv) Existing knowledge indicates a number of measures that could be taken to improve worker comfort and performance: use of high-quality displays; control of workplace lighting conditions; application of principles of anthropometric design; and consideration of workers' needs in design of jobs, (v) Surveys of radiation emissions from VDTs indicate that levels of radiation are far below U.S. occupational exposure standards. Published data provide no evidence that cateracts are associated with VDT use. (vi) Standards should be based on research. Differing opinions on whether setting standards is useful and appropriate point to the need for caution in this area. Needs for further research were identified.     

Associations of ergonomic and psychosocial work hazards with musculoskeletal disorders of specific body parts: A study of general employees in Taiwan

Background and aimsMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are major occupational health concerns. This study examined the associations of ergonomic and psychosocial work hazards with the risks of MSDs of specific body parts and their distribution across a wide range of occupational groups.MethodsStudy participants comprised 8,937 male and 7,052 female employees aged 20–65 years from a nationwide survey in 2016. A self-report questionnaire was administered to obtain information regarding demographic characteristics, work conditions, ergonomic and psychosocial work hazards, and MSDs of different body parts in 12 months. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios of MSDs in relation to ergonomic and psychosocial work hazards.ResultsIn professionals and skilled workers, MSDs of the neck and shoulders were more prevalent, whereas in manual workers, MSDs of the hands, wrists, and lower back were more prevalent. Psychosocial work hazards, including high psychological demand and low workplace justice, were major work-related risk factors for shoulder and neck disorders, whereas ergonomic hazards were major work-related risk factors for lower back and wrist or hand disorders.ConclusionDifferent workplace hazards contribute to the risks of different MSDs. To prevent the development of MSDs, occupational health professionals should evaluate both ergonomic and psychosocial work hazards and develop health prevention programs tailored to the risk profiles of working populations.     

Ergonomics To Go: Designing The Mobile Workspace

The workplace is becoming increasingly mobile, as more and more employees regularly work from their home office, spend a lot of time travelling, work on-site at their customers’ place, and use laptops and mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets instead of classical desktop computers. However, while research and checklists on how to create an ergonomic office are readily available, less is known about how the ‘mobile workplace’ should be designed to reduce strains and stress resulting from unfavourable workplace conditions, non-ergonomic equipment or devices, extensive travelling, or work-home interference. In this paper we present the results of an empirical study on the ergonomic requirements of mobile workers. Based on this, we present the ‘Ergonomics Coach’, a prototype of an online coaching application with helpful information and exercises adapted to the mobile workplace.     

Balancing fluid and cemented routines in a digital workplace

Advanced workplace technologies are increasingly used alongside traditional enterprise software packages (such as enterprise resource planning) in the workplace. However, we have only limited understanding of how different kinds of technologies are used to dynamically shape work routines and fluidity in a digital workplace. We conducted an in-depth six-year study of the use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) system by a large information technology service provider company. The company used the system to manage its global staffing processes. We explored how the users of this system sought to achieve the fluidity needed to do their work. Our findings show that users balance two patterns of routine performance through different technologies with varying degrees of malleability: one to generate fluidity and another to generate stability. We call this process ‘generative balancing’. Our research contributes to the literature on workplace technologies and ERP use by providing insights into how the use of technologies with different degrees of malleability helps to craft digital workspaces and enables users to deal with tensions between accomplishing local-level performance and realizing corporate-level strategic intents.     

Visually deficient working conditions and reduced work performance in office workers: Is it mediated by visual discomfort?

IntroductionThe main purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether visual discomfort acts as a mediating factor between perceived visual ergonomic working conditions and self-rated visual performance among office workers who carry out administrative tasks and computer-based work at the Swedish Tax Agency.MethodsA questionnaire was sent to 94 office workers addressing: 1) perceived visual quality of the visual display units; 2) prevalence of eye symptoms; and 3) self-rated visual performance. Eighty-six persons (54 women (63%), 31 men (36%), and 1 of unspecified sex) answered the questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis investigated the association between visual ergonomic working conditions and visual performance, both with and without visual discomfort as a mediator.ResultsThe group mean of the Indexed survey questions indicated a reasonably good quality of visual ergonomic working conditions, a relative absence of eye symptoms, and acceptable self-rated visual performance. Results from multiple regression analysis showed a significant association between perceived visual ergonomic working conditions and self-rated visual performance (r² = 0.30, β = 0.327, p < 0.01). When visual discomfort was used as a mediator, the association between perceived visual ergonomic working conditions and self-rated visual performance remained the same (r² = 0.32, β = 0.315, p < 0.01).DiscussionIt was remarkable to discover that self-rated visual performance was independent of visual discomfort. Possible explanations include exposure factors not included in the current study, such as dry air and sensory irritation in the eyes, psychosocial stress, time spent performing near work activities, or time exposed to visually deficient working conditions.Relevance to industryThe strong connection between satisfaction with visual ergonomic working conditions and productivity in this study has implications for workplace profitability and staff satisfaction. If productivity is enhanced by better visual ergonomic working conditions, then managers of workplaces may be able to improve work outcomes by optimizing the physical work environment.     

Fuzzy logic-based decision support system for automating ergonomics risk assessments

Workers in the modular construction industry are frequently exposed to ergonomic risks, which may lead to injuries and lower productivity. In light of this, researchers have proposed a number of ergonomics risk assessment methods to identify design flaws in work systems, thereby reducing ergonomic discomfort and boosting workplace productivity. However, organizations often disregard ergonomics risk assessments due to a lack of convenient tools and knowledge. Therefore, this study proposes a fuzzy logic-based decision support system to help practitioners to automatically and comprehensively assess the ergonomic performance of work systems. For comprehensive assessment of ergonomic risk, the proposed decision support system considers physical, environmental, and sensory factors. Specifically, the decision support system comprises eight fuzzy expert systems that output a composite risk score, called an “ergonomic risk indicator”, that indicates the overall level of ergonomic risk present in a given work system. The performance of the proposed decision support system is then evaluated using a real-world case study in a modular construction facility by comparing the results of the decision support system with the facility's occupational injury reports. The results prove the effectiveness of the decision support system. Overall, the decision support system is capable of generating a composite risk score, the ergonomic risk indicator, and the proposed high-level architecture and design represent significant contributions for the enhancement of health and safety in the modular construction industry.     

利用数据挖掘方法分析客户生涯价值

针对客户生涯价值分析这一客户关系管理系统的重要问题,在分析已有工作的基础上,经过多级数据归约,提出了多商品配送企业适合工程计算的客户生涯价值公式。进而对客户进行了高速聚类挖掘,找出了客户群的特点,对公司有针对性地制定客户策略起到了一定的指导作用。     

A Study of Computerized Offices in Greece: Are Ergonomic Design Requirements Met?

In this study, an investigation was conducted into the extent to which ergonomic requirements for work on computers are met in Greek office workstations. The ergonomic requirements considered were those included in Council Directive 90/270/EEC (1990) of the European Union and the ISO 9241 (1997) standard. 593 office workstations were assessed using an assessment tool consisting of 70 assessment points. The assessment results show that the ergonomic requirements that are independent of the specific characteristics of individual work spaces and environments (e.g., design standards for seats, monitors, and input devices) are adequately met. Ergonomic requirements that should take into consideration the specific characteristics and constraints of individual work content, work spaces, and environments (e.g., requirements dealing with workplace layout, environmental conditions, software, and work organization) are inadequately met. Based on these results, issues are indicated on the effort ergonomists should focus to improve working conditions in computerized offices.     

Analysis of worker strategies: A comprehensive understanding for the prevention of work related musculoskeletal disorders

By documenting the strategies developed by food processing workers to manage their musculoskeletal pain and discomfort in order to remain on the job, the present article seeks to increase awareness of a different “way of approaching” WMSDs inspired by the ergonomic approach centred on work activity analysis. Based on a mixed methods approach, an ergonomic work activity study combined with a multiple case study was conducted. Sixteen female seafood-processing workers were followed up during two consecutive work seasons using a range of interviews as well as observations of work activity throughout the entire study. A large variety of musculoskeletal pain management strategies developed by those workers to remain on the job were identified. This identification and the process of categorizing the strategies led to the development of a framework for studying worker strategies. The mixed methods approach made it possible to better pinpoint and understand obstacles to the development of workplace strategies and then identify avenues for change to improve working conditions.Relevance to industryThe framework constitutes a valuable contribution for the prevention of WMSDs by representing a methodological tool for documenting worker strategies. Very few tools of this kind are currently available for practitioners and researchers. In becoming aware of the existence of such coping strategies, companies can gain a better understanding of the difficulties workers have to cope with.     

Evaluation of musculoskeletal health outcomes in the context of job rotation and multifunctional jobs

Higher physical demands at work are associated with health outcomes such as discomfort, disorders and sick leave. Variations in work exposure patterns, introduced by multifunctional jobs and ergonomic interventions, bring confounders into the complex relation between occupational risks and musculoskeletal disorders. This study compared whole-body rating of perceived exertion (RPE), discomfort, ergonomic workplace analysis (EWA) and sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders, among workers exposed to diversified work. The results showed that EWA performed by the observer differed from workers' ratings. There were no differences between groups of workers taking or not taking sick leave regarding RPE and discomfort at their current workstations. Workers significantly discriminated between progressive workload levels, and RPE scores for specific tasks were nonlinear during shifts. These differences might be associated with exposure variability. Thus, in the context of diversified work, the RPE scale seems more appropriate for evaluating acute effects of work variability.     

我国企业管理信息化建设的探究

企业信息化管理指的就是企业将自身生产过程中的业务流程、生产过程、客户交换、事物处理等工作进行电子化和数字化的处理,并且应用先进的信息系统网络加工组合数据信息,进而得到新的信息资源,提供给企业各个部门的人员参考和使用,最终设计出最好的解决方案,对企业的资源进行充分的利用。也就是促使企业更好的适应和顺应市场的发展,最大化企业的利益。文章主要分析和研究了我国企业的信息化建设,并对信息化建设中的问题进行了分析,最后提出了解决的对策,为我国企业管理的信息化建设提供了一定的参考依据。     

Computer‐aided macroergonomics for improved performance and safety

The U.S. presidential election of 2000 was characterized by alleged ergonomic problems associated with the design of voting ballots. However, this visible event actually exemplified the fact that many apparent ergonomic issues are, in fact, macroergonomic issues. That is, in such cases, there are larger systemic factors at work that interact with and contribute to human–machine interface issues. Further complicating system effectiveness is the notion that modern work systems are distributed and therefore require computer aiding to establish a communication pipeline through which decisions can flow and performance can be enhanced. A conceptual and theoretical framework is presented for understanding such computer‐aided work systems and a taxonomy and research examples for three types of computer‐aided work systems are also offered. It is concluded that the single operator–single machine paradigm is not obsolete and the focus remains ultimately on the ergonomic level, but relevant macroergonomic, sociotechnical system factors require consideration prior to optimizing this level for overall ergonomic success. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.