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Investing In Your Employee’s Wellbeing has Proven Returns For Your Business

If you could make a small investment in your business that would have proven returns AND likely improve the well-being of your staff, would you make that investment?

There is more and more evidence that shows that relatively small investments in the ergonomic knowledge of your employees and, to a lesser extent, the physical environment in which they work, can have significant returns for your business.

Work–related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) are a significant burden on business. According to The Australian Safety and Compensation Council, the number of workers’ compensation claims for acute and chronic musculoskeletal disorders reported for the year 2003 was over 76,000 claims representing 43% of all injury and disease-related claims made. The number of employees experiencing pain from WMSDs but not making a workers compensation claim is estimated to be many times higher than this, significantly affecting sick leave, productivity, morale, workplace atmosphere and customer service.

Ergonomic improvements in business’ have been shown extensively to provide a significant return on investment. (click on article for published benefits seen by 250 large and small business’)

Ergonomics is not about fancy, expensive new office equipment, it is about educating your staff to better cope with the varied stresses of static postures and repetitive tasks associated with their assignments, with changes to the environment only when education of the employee does not adequately mitigate an identified risk.

Benefits of a Workplace Ergonomics Process

Here are five of the proven benefits of a strong workplace ergonomics process:

1. Ergonomics reduces costs. By systematically reducing ergonomic risk factors, you can prevent costly WMSDs. With almost $1 out of every $2 in workers compensation costs attributed to WMSDs, this represents an opportunity for significant cost savings. Also, don’t forget that indirect costs can be up to twenty times the direct cost of an injury.

2. Ergonomics improves productivity. The best ergonomic solutions will often improve productivity. By designing a job to allow for good posture, less exertion, fewer motions and better heights and reaches, the workstation becomes more efficient.

3. Ergonomics improves quality. Poor ergonomics leads to frustrated and fatigued workers that don’t do their best work. When the job task is too physically taxing on the worker, they may not perform their job like they were trained.

4. Ergonomics improves employee engagement. Employees notice when the company is putting forth their best efforts to ensure their health and safety. If an employee does not experience fatigue and discomfort during their workday, it can reduce turnover, decrease absenteeism, improve morale and increase employee involvement.

5. Ergonomics creates a better safety culture. Ergonomics shows your company’s commitment to safety and health as a core value. The cumulative effect of the previous four benefits of ergonomics is a stronger safety culture for your company. Healthy employees are your most valuable asset; creating and fostering the safety & health culture at your company will lead to better human performance for your organisation.

With over 20 years experience, GB Physiotherapy can provide you with the right advice and the right education, at the level of service that’s right for your bottom line.

Call Glen on 0452 448 985 or go to www.gbphysiotherapy.com.au for information about GB Physiotherapy’s individualised ergonomic programs.

Article By
Glen Bailey

written by:

McKinley Plowman