In the last two years, there has been a significant change in awareness and advocacy regarding the importance of workforce wellbeing, engagement and stability, and the need to ensure that the health, values and personal fulfilment of workers is taken seriously by their employers.
This is exemplified by the growing importance of ergonomics for businesses of all shapes and sizes. The principle of designing and arranging workspaces, working practices and internal processes around the specific needs of staff has been an accelerating trend for many years, but should now be considered a top priority in a pandemic-altered marketplace, where business models are changing fast and competition for talent is fierce.
The challenge for SMEs is to successfully operate within these rapidly changing markets and develop an approach to ergonomics which not only reflects purpose and values, but commits to them wholeheartedly in the way that the business operates . Here, Linea Group explains further.
Communicate with your people to align your actions with their needs
The human factor is the most essential part of any transformation project, especially those that pertain to ergonomics. People often find it difficult to deal with change in the workplace, even those designed to benefit them, and if you cannot get workers on board with change, then all the work put behind building new systems and processes is wasted.
As such, all workers need to be engaged with initial decision-making, ensuring communication with every member of staff regarding their specific wellbeing needs, and how these changes should be implemented sustainably.
Create ergonomic working spaces and practices
Physical ergonomics are perhaps the best-known intervention of this kind, and will be a key priority for any SME. This can mean ensuring that workstations are properly equipped to avoid strain or discomfort, helping staff to avoid prolonged computer use, or adjusting the lighting, temperature, or space on-site to accommodate personal comfort.
However, it is also essential to consider how your business practices and structure can be adapted to address issues of cognitive ergonomics. For example: are task instructions being communicated in an efficient way? Are teams communicating properly and consistently? Are databases stored and managed in a unified manner, according to standardised training?
Transforming these spaces and processes may require holistic transformation and change management, but the potential benefits in terms of enhanced productivity and staff wellbeing are significant.
Allow flexibility for ergonomic working schedules
Taking an ergonomic approach to work schedules can deliver a transformative impact for businesses, while aligning with evolving cultural norms. Since the pandemic, the focus on work-life balance and the benefits of flexibility have come to the forefront, and SMEs should adjust accordingly.
Shift and schedule planning can be adjusted accordingly to the needs of individuals, with different shift patterns or remote working flexibility helping to accommodate their productivity preferences and wellbeing. This will ensure that the entire team is able to deliver their best work and operate at optimum productivity.
Build ergonomics into your corporate purpose & values
Demonstrating strong purpose and values has become a crucial differentiator for businesses since the pandemic. It has never been more important to devise corporate principles truly aligned to current societal values and ensure that teams live by them.
As such, a renewed commitment to ergonomic ways of working and organising need to be enshrined within the company’s core values, becoming a foundational principle of the way the business operates, rather than a quick fix. By doing so, a business will not only be better placed to drive lasting change, but will be able to more easily demonstrate its people-centric values to staff, clients, customers and the wider community.
As with any change management initiative, implementing business ergonomics cannot simply be a one-off intervention. Key metrics for performance and return on investment (ROI) must be tracked over time to make sure the changes are delivering the right results.
In the case of ergonomics, this may include measuring the cost of the interventions against associated benefits, such as: staff performance, absenteeism rates, employee turnover and retention, cases of injury and ill health, and other measures of job satisfaction and productivity. By doing so, ergonomic change can become an ongoing process, delivering long-term benefits and continuous improvement at all levels within the organisation.
